An autonomous shuttle operating in Punggol had a close call with an oncoming vehicle after allegedly failing to give way while making a left turn at Punggol Field.
The incident reportedly happened on Nov 5 at around 10am, according to the caption accompanying a video shared on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group.
The near collision was captured on the dashcam of the oncoming vehicle, showing the autonomous shuttle turning into its path.
LTA Orders ComfortDelGro To Pause U-Turns At Junction
According to the video, the oncoming vehicle was travelling along the left lane of a two-lane road when the autonomous shuttle emerged while making a turn.
The video caption alleged that the shuttle turned out without first conducting the necessary safety checks, nearly resulting in a collision.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) confirmed that it was aware of the incident and had begun investigating.
According to LTA, the incident happened while ComfortDelGro was conducting autonomous vehicle testing along a route intended for its enhanced on-demand transport service.
The agency clarified that the route was not part of ComfortDelGro’s existing shuttle service.
As a precaution, LTA has instructed ComfortDelGro to suspend U-turns at the junction while its review is ongoing.
ComfortDelGro Says It Is Investigating
Michael Huang, Head of Singapore Point-to-Point Mobility Business at Zig by ComfortDelGro, said the company was looking into the incident together with its autonomous vehicle technology partner and LTA.
He added that the company takes safety seriously and would thoroughly assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The latest incident comes shortly after another autonomous shuttle in Punggol was reportedly involved in a separate near miss with a young schoolgirl.
Earlier Incident Involved Schoolgirl Crossing At Green Light
In another video shared on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, an autonomous shuttle was seen making a discretionary left turn at a junction while a schoolgirl was crossing the road.
The incident reportedly happened on Nov 5 at around 8.11am.
The pedestrian crossing signal was green when the girl began crossing. However, the shuttle continued turning and passed in front of her.
The girl appeared to stop suddenly and step backwards to avoid the vehicle.
The shuttle slowed down and nearly came to a stop before continuing its journey.
Following that incident, LTA said on Nov 6 that the vehicle had been testing a new route in preparation for enhanced on-demand transport services within Punggol.
The authority also directed Grab to pause testing at similar junctions while investigations were being conducted.
LTA confirmed that the autonomous vehicle had detected two pedestrians and was tracking their movements before beginning its left turn when the traffic light turned green.
Autonomous Shuttle Trials Under Scrutiny
The purple autonomous shuttles operating in Punggol are part of a trial programme launched in April 2026.
Grab operates two routes in the estate, while ComfortDelGro operates one.
With two reported near-miss incidents involving autonomous vehicles in Punggol on the same morning, questions surrounding pedestrian safety and the vehicles’ ability to respond to unpredictable road situations are likely to remain a concern among residents.
The ongoing LTA investigations will help determine what happened in both incidents and whether additional safety measures are required before testing resumes.