Waymo Plans a Singapore Robotaxi Service for 2028

Waymo is preparing to make Singapore its next international robotaxi market, with a commercial service targeted for 2028. The Alphabet-owned company expects vehicles to begin arriving in the city-state in the coming months, followed by mapping and supervised autonomous testing with human safety drivers in 2027.

A phased route to passenger service

The timeline is deliberately gradual. According to The Verge, Waymo’s immediate work will center on local mapping and testing before the company seeks to offer fully autonomous ride-hailing to the public. A 2028 target is not the same as an automatic launch date: the deployment must pass Singapore’s regulatory process before passengers can book rides.

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority says autonomous vehicles intended for public roads are assessed through a structured framework involving the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles, known as CETRAN. The regulator’s public guidance emphasizes safety assessments and controlled testing before broader deployment. Those requirements mean Waymo will have to demonstrate that its system can handle the country’s dense, highly organized road environment.

Why Singapore fits Waymo’s global push

Singapore has already supported trials involving autonomous buses, logistics vehicles and other self-driving systems. Its compact geography and tightly managed transport network make it an important test of whether robotaxi technology developed in the United States can adapt to different road rules, weather and urban behavior.

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana described Singapore’s transport system as safe, efficient and forward-looking in the company statement reported by The Verge. The expansion is part of a wider international plan that has also included announced service ambitions for London, Tokyo and Munich. Each market presents a separate regulatory and operational challenge rather than a simple copy of the company’s American model.

For riders, the most meaningful milestone will not be the arrival of branded vehicles but permission to operate without a human safety driver and accept paying passengers. Until those approvals are secured, the project remains a staged testing program with a commercial goal. Singapore will now become a closely watched measure of how quickly robotaxi companies can turn international announcements into regulated public service.