SINGAPORE; Grab has been directed to suspend testing its autonomous vehicles (AVs) in certain scenarios at junctions in Punggol, as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) investigates a near-accident involving one of the vehicles and a girl.
A video showing a Grab AV almost hitting a girl crossing the road as it made a left turn was posted on Facebook on the night of Nov 5 and has since attracted widespread attention. A woman can also be seen accompanying the girl in the video.
In response to media queries, LTA said it was informed of the incident on Nov 5 and is investigating the case.
The authority said the vehicle was testing a new route in preparation for enhanced on-demand travel services within Punggol, which are expected to be expanded to the wider public in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“Preliminary data indicates that the vehicle had detected the two pedestrians, and was continuously tracking the pedestrians’ movements,” LTA said.
It pointed out that the vehicle turned left after the traffic light turned green, while the pedestrians were initially stationary for some time.
According to LTA, the vehicle began braking and steered to the right when the child started crossing the road. The safety operator on board then took control of the vehicle, continued braking and steered it away from the pedestrian.
“LTA has directed Grab to pause testing at such junctions until investigations are completed, and we will review whether the response to such scenarios should be adjusted,” the authority said.
It thanked members of the public for sharing the video and reminded pedestrians to ensure that oncoming traffic has come to a complete stop before crossing roads.
In the video, as the vehicle approaches the pedestrian crossing, a girl standing on the pedestrian walkway to its left steps off the kerb to cross the road.
The traffic lights are green for both the pedestrian and the AV at this point.
The AV appears to slow down as it turns while the girl steps onto the road towards it. The girl then stops as the vehicle passes in front of her.
A woman can be seen approaching the girl and pulling her away from the vehicle.
The vehicle then appears to slow down before moving off.
The video has since garnered more than 260,000 views and 1,000 reactions.
A comparison of the video with Google Maps shows that the incident occurred at Punggol Field Walk.
The location is near the site of another accident involving an AV in January, when the vehicle collided with a road divider.
In response to media queries, a Grab spokesperson said the company was aware of the latest incident.
“Safety is our top priority. We are aware of this incident and are closely reviewing it together with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and our partner WeRide,” the spokesperson said.
Grab's AV shuttle services have been available to the public since April 1.
The company operates two shuttle routes in Punggol, one connecting Punggol Matilda Court and Oasis Terraces, and the other connecting Punggol Matilda Court and Punggol Coast Mall.
In an announcement in July, Grab said it would trial allowing passengers to book AV rides between designated pick-up and drop-off points along its existing routes in the following months. - Starits Times/ANN
