Grab and WeRide review autonomous shuttle incident at Punggol crossing
An autonomous shuttle involved in a near-miss with a woman and child at a Punggol pedestrian crossing is under review by Grab, WeRide and the Land Transport Authority.
Autonomous shuttles operated by Grab and WeRide, together with ComfortDelGro and Pony.ai, have been running free trial rides on Punggol roads for several months. While the Land Transport Authority reported "overwhelmingly positive" feedback in a July 12 update, an incident on the morning of Nov 5 drew attention on social media.
A video posted by SG Road Vigilante shows a woman and her child waiting at a pedestrian crossing on Punggol Field Walk. After the traffic lights turned green, the child began to cross as an autonomous shuttle made a left turn. The child stopped and turned back to wave, while the woman stepped forward to hold her. The footage shows the shuttle’s signal light was on and the crossing appeared clear when the vehicle started its turn.
Some online commenters noted that the pedestrians had been standing at the junction for several seconds before moving, suggesting a human driver might have interpreted the same situation. Others called for an investigation, pointing to the safety operator present on the shuttles. One user, Colin Lincoln, reminded parents that children should check that the road is clear before crossing, adding, "> Don't cross blindly even if the green man is on."
A Grab spokesperson said the company is aware of the incident and is reviewing it closely with the Land Transport Authority and WeRide. AsiaOne has asked the LTA for interim findings from the ongoing review.