Waymo has unveiled plans to start a robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028.

The Verge reported on Sept. 18 that Waymo will bring vehicles into Singapore in the coming days to begin map-building work. It plans to conduct autonomous driving tests in 2027 with a safety operator seated in the driver’s seat.

The company aims to provide a fully autonomous on-demand service to the public by 2028. It needs approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority to carry real passengers. In Singapore, all autonomous vehicles must undergo a safety assessment by CETRAN, a test and research excellence centre, before being deployed on public roads. The test framework was set up by the Land Transport Authority and CETRAN together with the traffic police.

Waymo has already made a partial entry into Singapore. The company set up a local subsidiary early this year and is also participating in Singapore’s autonomous vehicle operator committee. As a result, the plan is seen as a step beyond a simple market review and toward building a business foundation within the local institutional framework.

Singapore has also emerged as a hub for autonomous driving tests. Local authorities have allowed autonomous freight delivery, road-cleaning vehicles and autonomous buses for airport workers. Motional, a U.S. company in which Hyundai Motor is the largest shareholder, also ran a robotaxi pilot project in Singapore in 2016.

Waymo offered a high assessment of Singapore’s transport environment. Co-chief executive Tekedra Mawakana (테케드라 마와카나) said in a statement, "Singapore has built one of the world’s safest, most efficient and most forward-looking transportation ecosystems." She said, "Singapore’s focus on reliability, sustainability and people-centred progress also aligns with how Waymo builds its technology and services."

The announcement ties in with Waymo’s overseas expansion strategy. Waymo said it plans to start a robotaxi service in London by the end of 2026 and signalled an entry into Tokyo in 2027. It also plans to bring robotaxis to Munich in Germany by the end of 2027, which would be its first expansion within the European Union. Adding Singapore would mean Waymo is expanding its overseas footprint across Asia and Europe at the same time.

Its expansion in the United States is also continuing. Waymo announced plans this year to enter new markets including Nashville, Denver, San Diego and Las Vegas. It currently operates about 4,000 vehicles in about 15 U.S. cities.

Entry into major U.S. cities has not been smooth. Regulatory barriers and political opposition are blocking moves into New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. As debate over robotaxis continues in the United States, Waymo appears to be seeking to maintain its pace of expansion by broadening its growth focus to overseas markets. The Singapore project appears to be the next step in that flow.