Waymo says Singapore will be its next international robotaxi city | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchLightSystemDarkTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Waymo says Singapore will be its next international robotaxi cityNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TransportationCloseTransportationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TransportationNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsAutonomous CarsCloseAutonomous CarsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Autonomous CarsWaymo says Singapore will be its next international robotaxi cityThe Alphabet-owned company says it will launch a commercial robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028.The Alphabet-owned company says it will launch a commercial robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028.by Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. HawkinsSep 18, 2026, 2:00 AM UTCLinkShareGiftWaymo Ojai fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicle travels along a city street, San Francisco, California, August 20, 2026. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Gado via Getty ImagesAndrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. Hawkins is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.Waymo says it will launch a robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028, as the Alphabet-owned company continues to eye overseas markets for expansion.Waymo’s vehicles will begin arriving in Singapore in “the coming months,” the company says, in preparation of mapping and autonomous testing with human safety drivers behind the wheel in 2027. Waymo says it is “working toward offering fully autonomous ride-hailing to the public” by 2028.Waymo will need approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) before it can begin accepting passengers. The city-state requires all autonomous vehicles to undergo a safety assessment conducted at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research (CETRAN) before they can be deployed on public roads. The tests have been developed by LTA and CETRAN, with input from the Traffic Police. But Waymo isn’t totally unknown in Singapore. The company established a corporate entity there earlier this year and participates in Singapore’s Steering Committee on Autonomous Vehicles.Singapore has become a hotbed for autonomous vehicle testing. The local authorities have green-lit autonomous freight delivery and road-sweepers, as well as self-driving buses for airport workers. Motional, a US-based company majority owned by Hyundai, conducted a robotaxi pilot in Singapore in 2016.In addition to Singapore, Waymo has said it plans on launching a robotaxi service in London by the end of 2026, and Tokyo in 2027. The company has also said it will bring its robotaxis to Munich, Germany, in late 2027, marking its first expansion in the European Union.“Singapore has built one of the safest, most efficient, and most forward-thinking transportation ecosystems in the world,” Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a statement. “Their focus on reliability, sustainability, and human-centric progress directly mirrors how we have built Waymo’s technology and service.”This year, Waymo has announced several new domestic markets, including Nashville, Denver, San Diego, and Las Vegas. The company has around 4,000 vehicles operating in about 15 US cities.But regulatory hurdles and political opposition have kept it out of some of the US’ most important cities, including New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC. As the robotaxi debate continues to rage on in America, Waymo has signaled that it intends to keep growing overseas — with no signs of slowing down.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. HawkinsAutonomous CarsCloseAutonomous CarsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Autonomous CarsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTransportationCloseTransportationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TransportationWaymoCloseWaymoPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All WaymoMost PopularMost PopularThe 2.5-hour AI-generated Odyssey movie is 2.5 hours too longThe Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable eraThe iPhone 18 Pro’s big camera update is all about the small gainsVideoI wore Snap’s $2,200 smart glassesInside the suddenly explosive world of AI safetyThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in TransportationYour robotaxi might be a narcKia’s electric van lineup is getting more interesting with reveal of PV7Now Light’s minimalist phone can easily call an UberGM found a way to coexist with CarPlayVolvo’s plug-in hybrid XC60 and XC90 can really go the distanceVolkswagen’s slippery new EV breaks a bunch of efficiency recordsYour robotaxi might be a narcRani MollaSep 17Kia’s electric van lineup is getting more interesting with reveal of PV7Andrew J. HawkinsSep 15Now Light’s minimalist phone can easily call an UberRichard LawlerSep 15GM found a way to coexist with CarPlayAndrew J. HawkinsSep 15Volvo’s plug-in hybrid XC60 and XC90 can really go the distanceAndrew J. HawkinsSep 15Volkswagen’s slippery new EV breaks a bunch of efficiency recordsAndrew J. HawkinsSep 14Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesSep 17Inside the suddenly explosive world of AI safetySep 17Your robotaxi might be a narcSep 16The iPhone 18 Pro: an ambitious new camera on the marginsVideoSep 17Xbox’s clever disc-to-digital feature was 15 years in the makingSep 17The Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable eraThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyYour California Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesCookie NoticeAdChoicesLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform StatusPenske Media CorporationThe Verge is a part of PMX Global, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation.© 2026 VM Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.Our SitesThe American PavilionARTnewsArt in AmericaArtforumArt Week NYCBeauty IncBillboardDeadlineDick Clark ProductionsThe DodoEaterFlow SpaceFNGold DerbyGolden GlobesThe Hollywood ReporterIndieWireLife is BeautifulPopsugarPunchSJ DenimRobb ReportRolling StoneSB NationSHE MediaShe KnowsSourcing JournalSoapsSporticoStyleCasterSXSWThrillistVarietyThe VergeVibeWWDNotifications DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Sign in to see your notifications or create an account to join the conversation.Sign in

Alphabet-owned Waymo intends to establish Singapore as its next international hub for robotaxi services, planning to launch a commercial robotaxi service there in 2028. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to pursue overseas markets for growth, following recent domestic expansions into US cities like Nashville, Denver, San Diego, and Las Vegas, which have been constrained by regulatory and political opposition in metropolitan areas such as New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Waymo anticipates that its vehicles will arrive in Singapore in the coming months to facilitate extensive mapping and autonomous testing alongside human safety drivers throughout 2027. Deployment on public roads will necessitate approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), which mandates that all autonomous vehicles undergo a safety assessment conducted by the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research (CETRAN), which collaborates with the Traffic Police. Singapore's existing framework is notable, as local authorities have already approved autonomous freight delivery, road-sweepers, and self-driving buses for airport workers, positioning the city-state as a significant testing ground for autonomous vehicle technology. Waymo is already integrated into this ecosystem, having established a corporate entity there and participating in Singapore’s Steering Committee on Autonomous Vehicles.

The company also exhibits a determined trajectory for global expansion beyond Singapore, with plans to launch robotaxi services in London by the end of 2026, Tokyo in 2027, and Munich, Germany in late 2027, marking Waymo's initial foray into the European Union. Waymo’s co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana noted that Singapore’s focus on reliability, sustainability, and human-centric progress aligns directly with the principles underpinning Waymo’s own technological and service development. This approach reflects a commitment to integrating advanced technology with robust societal standards. The context of this expansion occurs while autonomous vehicle development faces ongoing public debate in the United States, which has led Waymo to prioritize overseas growth as a viable path forward, signaling an intent to maintain significant international expansion despite domestic regulatory friction.