Throughout 2027 Waymo specialists will personally drive the fleet on Singapore’s roads to create detailed maps and adapt the self-driving software to local road geometry and weather patterns. Those manual runs are positioned as preparation for the commercial phase, rather than immediate driverless service.
When it launches, Waymo plans to offer rides through its own app. The company has followed a similar overseas rollout in Tokyo, where it began testing in 2025 and is preparing for commercial availability in 2027. In Tokyo Waymo will operate via its app and through the widely used GO Taxi app, a distribution approach the company appears to be testing across markets.
Waymo frames the Singapore service as a complement to existing mass transit, targeting short trips that bridge homes and transit hubs. The company says its vehicles could be most useful for passengers who do not live within easy reach of subway stations or who need faster connections to catch scheduled trains.
The immediate timeline is clear: vehicle deliveries and mapping runs through 2027, then a public launch in 2028. The programme will hinge on how effectively Waymo adapts its maps and software to Singapore’s urban layout and climate ahead of the planned commercial start.
