Grab partners with 4 Firms to Advance autonomous vehicles in Southeast Asia

Grab has inked new memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with four autonomous technology firms to investigate the function and effects of AVs in Southeast Asia, according to the company.

The technology company will evaluate delivery and mobility systems, including automobiles, buses, shuttles, and robots, in collaboration with Autonomous A2Z, Motional, WeRide, and Zelos. According to Grab, it will evaluate how AVs might increase security and lower the number of traffic accidents. Additionally, it will analyze the cost structure of AVs to ascertain their long-term feasibility and assess prospects for drivers and delivery partners to upskill into emerging roles in the autonomous industry.

“Through these collaborative studies with leading autonomous technology companies, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of how autonomous vehicles can enhance our transportation ecosystem while maintaining the essential role of our drivers and delivery partners,” Anthony Tan, group chief executive officer and co-founder of Grab, said.

This is an additional development in Grab's continuous investigation of autonomous driving technologies. Grab and company nuTonomy collaborated in 2016 to provide a limited number of app users the opportunity to participate in the world's first autonomous taxi testing in Singapore. In order to serve visitors and F&B vendors in Sentosa, Grab partnered with the technology company NCS to test an AV robot meal delivery service in 2022.