The Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore has received bids from four companies to participate in a trial of autonomous public bus services in the country. Among the bidders are WeRide from China and a consortium led by Malaysian bus operator Handal Indah, also known as Causeway Link.

The tender, which closed on June 9, drew submissions from WeRide (Singapore), Handal Indah consortium, vehicle distributor Cycle & Carriage Automotive, and a consortium led by MKX Technologies. MKX Technologies, incorporated in Singapore in April, has two shareholders - X Star Technology and MK.X.

LTA plans to start the trial in mid-2026 with six autonomous buses on two routes. The buses will operate alongside manned buses for an initial three-year period. The aim is to assess the feasibility of self-driving technology and address manpower challenges in the public transport sector.

The trial will begin on services 400 and 191, shorter and simpler routes, with bus drivers on board as safety operators. WeRide, with experience in autonomous vehicle operations, has been running a shuttle bus service at Resorts World Sentosa since 2024.

Handal Indah, through company founder Lim Han Weng's other business Yinson Holdings, also has autonomous vehicle expertise. Yinson Holdings backed MooVita, a Singapore-based autonomous vehicle start-up operating a driverless shuttle bus service at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Source: The Straits Times