Sentosa plans app-booked autonomous shuttle rides from early 2027

Sentosa Development Corporation and Tada Mobility plan to begin public, on-demand autonomous shuttle rides on western Sentosa in early 2027. Visitors will book through the Tada app for trips linking hotels, beaches and attractions around Siloso, Imbiah and Beach Station.

The initial fleet will consist of two WeRide vehicles, each seating eight passengers. They are due to operate daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., with trained safety operators on board and remote monitoring available for assistance.

The service is intended to provide a more direct option than travelling by monorail, changing to a beach tram and then walking to a destination, according to The Straits Times. The shuttles will use both public roads and restricted service roads, including routes by Siloso and Palawan beaches, which are intended to improve access to beachfront venues.

The reports differ on the number of stops available at launch. The Business Times described predetermined routes serving 27 pickup and drop-off points around Sentosa. The Straits Times said the first phase would offer 21 points, including Mega Adventure Park, Ola Beach Club and Siloso Beach Resort, with an expansion to 27 locations across the island, including eastern Sentosa, planned for a second phase subject to Land Transport Authority approval.

The rides will be free during the pilot period. SDC and Tada will collect user feedback and conduct further trials of routes, booking, boarding and safety procedures before service begins. Their stated aim is to test whether shared autonomous transport can reduce waits, make journeys more predictable and shorten connections between transport hubs, hotels and attractions.

The pilot is designed to help determine how autonomous vehicles could operate alongside Sentosa’s existing transport and be integrated into its longer-term network. Tower Transit Singapore will supply the safety operators; it said their experience operating buses on the island gives them familiarity with its roads, and that they are completing a month-long programme covering vehicle handling, emergency response and defensive driving.

Singapore has regulated AV trials under the Road Traffic Act since 2017, and the Land Transport Authority says every AV must pass safety assessment at the CETRAN AV Test Centre before road deployment. Sentosa previously trialled a 10-seat autonomous shuttle service for three months in 2019.

WeRide began fully driverless Robobus operations at Resorts World Sentosa in July 2025 after a period of public-road operation with a safety officer aboard; the fixed-route service connects four resort locations on a 12-minute loop. The SDC-Tada shuttles will begin with onboard safety operators and app-based bookings when public rides open in early 2027.