LTA Directs ComfortDelGro to Suspend AV U-Turn Testing in Punggol After Near-Miss

Authorities have ordered ComfortDelGro to halt U-turn trials for its driverless cars at a Punggol junction in Punggol after an incident on Nov 5 where one of its AVs nearly collided with another automobile.

This pause comes in the wake of a separate close call earlier that same day, which involved a Grab AV nearly striking a young girl in Punggol. According to a Facebook video post on Nov 8, an autonomous vehicle operated by ComfortDelGro was stopped behind the stop line at a junction in Punggol Field before starting to turn into the path of an oncoming vehicle equipped with a dashcam.

The Land Transport Authority stated in response to media queries that it is investigating the incident and has directed ComfortDelGro to pause U-turns at the junction as a precaution. An LTA spokesperson explained that the incident occurred while ComfortDelGro was conducting AV testing on a route intended for its enhanced on-demand service, which is not part of the company’s existing shuttle route.

We thank the member of the public for sharing the video, the LTA spokesperson said.

Michael Huang, head of Singapore point-to-point mobility business at Zig by ComfortDelGro, said the company is looking into the incident alongside its AV technology partner and the LTA. We take safety seriously and will assess the circumstances thoroughly, Huang stated.

The development follows a Nov 5 incident where Grab was directed to pause testing at certain junctions in Punggol after one of its autonomous shuttles almost hit a schoolgirl while making a left turn.

That occurrence took place at Punggol Field Walk near the location of the ComfortDelGro incident. LTA noted that Grab’s vehicle had detected two pedestrians and tracked their movements before making a discretionary left turn on a green light, after which the safety operator took control and braked.

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