(Photo taken from  https://godivatravel.co.uk/)

SINGAPORE, Jan 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Self-driving public buses will start plying routes across parts of Singapore from mid-2026 in a pilot test for their mass deployment, the government said Monday.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a Facebook post it has launched a proposal for bids on piloting autonomous public bus services in the city-state.

"This RFP (Request for Proposal) will help us assess the technical feasibility and operational requirements for deploying autonomous buses at both individual service and fleet levels," it said.

"From mid-2026, the autonomous buses will operate alongside our existing manned bus services for an initial period of three years."

Six driverless buses with at least 16 seats will travel through Marina Bay and Shenton Way areas in the financial district and a business park and research centre on the fringes, LTA said.

"We are starting with these routes as they are shorter and simpler."
During the first phase, the buses will operate with a driver on board as "safety operators", it said.

A "remote safety operator can take over the surpervisory role" after that phase.

LTA said it "may purchase up to 14 more" driverless buses to expand the pilot.

The request for bids is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025 and the project will be awarded by the end of the year.

Orderly Singapore has been testing autonomous vehicles for several years, with tests for buses, taxis and trucks carried out in designated areas.

The government has led the drive as it seeks to attract more foreign firms to invest.