Alphabet's Waymo to launch robotaxis in Singapore by 2028

Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Alphabet, announced on Friday that it will launch its ride-hailing service with fully electric and autonomous vehicles in Singapore by 2028. The move marks the company's first entry into Southeast Asia.

An initial fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will arrive in Singapore over the coming months. In 2027, trained autonomous driving specialists will first drive the vehicles manually to adapt the Waymo Driver system to local road layouts and monsoon weather conditions. Waymo expects to open the service to the public in 2028 and is collaborating with Singapore's Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority. Jeffrey Siow, the Minister of Transport, welcomed Waymo as the country's newest autonomous vehicle operator, stating that the company brings world-class technology and operational experience to create new travel options for Singaporeans.

Earlier that week, Waymo announced plans to launch Japan's first commercial fully autonomous taxi service in Tokyo in 2027. Waymo was valued at $126 billion in February when it raised $16 billion. The company continues to expand its robotaxi fleet as it competes against Amazon's Zoox and Tesla in the autonomous vehicle sector.