LTA Autonomous Bus Pilot

On 2 October 2025, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the award for the contract on the Pilot Deployment of Autonomous Buses on Public Bus Services to a consortium of MKX Technologies Pte Ltd, Zhidao Network Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd and BYD (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

The three-year pilot aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of autonomous buses and gain operational insights. These 6 buses procured (for a start) 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. LTA

The open tender (as a Request for Proposal) by LTA was published on 27 January 2025 and closed on 9 June 2025 (originally 1 April 2025).

Proposal Requirements & 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)

Tenderers & Award

As of tender closing date on 9 June 2025, 4 bids were submitted.

Note:

• Bid prices & shortlist from Government Procurement Site GeBIZ
• Consortium companies as per an article published on The Straits Times in June 2025

On 2 October 2025, LTA announced that the contract was awarded to the consortium comprising of MKX Technologies, Zhidao Network Technology (Beijing) and BYD (Singapore) for a sum of around S$8.14 million, which aligns with the tender price submitted for Package A by the consortium, according to the government procurement site GeBIZ.

The roles of the companies that make up consortium for this contract were also announced during the contract award. These are:

• MKX Technologies
  – Lead local research and development (R&D)
  – Lead project management efforts
• Zhidao Network Technology (Beijing)
  – Provide the autonomous vehicle software & hardware kit such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging) and cameras
  – Provide fleet management and remote operations systems
• BYD (Singapore)
  – Supply of electric buses

Bus Procurement

6 autonomous buses from BYD were procured for this contract.

These buses have features similar to existing public buses, including designated spaces and boarding/alighting ramps for wheelchair and personal mobility aid users, and strollers.

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:

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 awarded 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.

Pre-Deployment Phase

Before commencing the pilot, LTA will conduct rigorous testing to ensure that the autonomous buses meet safety and operating requirements, including LTA’s AV Milestone 1 test and assessment of the buses’ capabilities to perform safe boarding and alighting at all designated stops.

Initial Phase

From the second half of 2026, these 16-passenger seat autonomous buses will operate alongside existing manned buses as part of a hybrid fleet. Fares payable during this pilot will be the same as the public bus service.

During the initial phases of the pilot deployment, a safety operator will be on board at all times. LTA will monitor the autonomous buses in real-time to ensure consistent self-driving performance and regulatory compliance. LTA also mandates additional safeguards, such as requiring all passengers to remain seated and wear seatbelts.

The bus operator, SBS Transit Ltd, will also take into account commuters’ feedback to review and improve autonomous bus operations.

Next Phase

After the autonomous bus has demonstrated its capabilities to operate smoothly and safely, it will progress to the next phase where a remote operator will monitor the operation continuously in a remote control centre. In place of an onboard safety operator; a customer service officer will be deployed onboard to assist commuters.

References

• Request for Proposals for the Pilot Deployment of Autonomous Buses for Public Bus Services – Land Transport Authority
• China’s WeRide, Malaysia’s Causeway Link among firms bidding to run driverless public buses in S’pore – The Straits Times
• LTA Awards Contract for the Pilot Deployment of Autonomous Buses on Two Public Bus Services – Land Transport Authority [2 Oct 2025]

Back to Autonomous Buses