On 27 January 2025, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to pilot autonomous buses on public bus routes.
The three-year pilot aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of autonomous buses and gain operational insights. A small number of these buses will be introduced on Services 191 and 400 as part of the trial, starting in mid-2026.
Tendering Phase
The pilot programme will be conducted under Contract PT832 – Pilot Deployment of Autonomous Buses on Public Bus Services. The open tender was published on 27 January 2025, closing on 1 April 2025 (subject to further extensions if applicable).
In its press release, LTA expects to award the contract by the end of 2025.
Proposal Requirements &Â Evaluation Criteria
Tenderers have to include, as part of the proposal:
- Proposed Bus Models: Specifications and details of the autonomous buses to be deployed, which must have at least 16 seats
- Fleet Management and Remote Operations Systems
- Electric Charging Infrastructure
- Hardware and Software for AV Operations
- Associated maintenance & support services
In evaluating the merit of the proposals, LTA will be considering:
- Maturity of the AV technology proposed
- AV developer’s track record in local and/or overseas deployments
- Capability to meet the operational needs of public bus services
- Comprehensiveness of the proposed supporting infrastructure (such as AV fleet management and charging systems)
Bus Procurement
LTA will begin the pilot by purchasing six autonomous buses, which will operate alongside existing manned buses starting in mid-2026 for an initial three-year period. These buses will be deployed on Bus Services 191 and 400 to evaluate their performance.
Based on the results of the pilot, LTA may purchase up to 14 additional autonomous buses to expand the deployment to two more bus routes. This phased approach allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility and reliability of AV technology while ensuring public safety.
Pilot Deployment Phase
Bus Services
LTA has identified the following bus services for the deployment of Autonomous Public Buses:
| Service | Route | Catchment Area |
| 400 | Shenton Way ↺ Marina Coastal Drive | Marina Bay / Shenton Way |
| 191 | Buona Vista ↺ Media Circle | one-north |
Deployment of AV buses will commence with Service 400, followed by Service 191. These routes were identified for their shorter and simpler routes, and one-north is also part of an existing AV test-bed, where AV trials have been conducted since 2019.
The selected tenderer will also work closely with SBS Transit, the current operator of Services 191 and 400, to develop operational concepts and plans for operating the autonomous public buses.
Operations
The deployment of autonomous buses is scheduled to begin in mid-2026 for an initial period of three years.
The six autonomous buses will operate alongside existing manned buses, and will follow operational requirements such as safe pick-up and drop-off at designated stops. Bus Captains will be onboard as safety operators during the initial phase. Once the reliability of the buses’ self-driving and remote operation capabilities is demonstrated after at least six months, a remote safety operator may assume the supervisory role.
During the deployment, LTA will monitor the buses in real-time to evaluate their self-driving performance and ensure compliance with regulations. LTA also mandates additional safeguards, such as requiring all passengers to remain seated and wear seatbelts. A customer service officer may also be deployed onboard to assist commuters who need help.