Singapore is addressing a shortage of bus drivers by deploying autonomous electric buses, according to details presented at Singapore Urban Mobility Week 2026. Local technology firm MKX Technologies, alongside Chinese autonomous driving company MOGOX and carmaker BYD, secured an autonomous-bus pilot project from the Land Transport Authority.
Government figures released in July show that Singapore maintains 9,900 bus captains. Among that workforce, 57 percent are between 41 and 60 years old, 13 percent are older than 60, and foreign workers comprise 60 percent of the total personnel.
Why Are Younger Workers Avoiding Public Transport Jobs?
Harold Teng, chief project coordinator at MKX Technologies, stated during the exhibition that younger generations in Singapore show little interest in driving buses, creating a reliance on overseas recruitment to sustain daily operations.
To counter this demographic shortfall, the Land Transport Authority procured six buses for testing. During the exhibition held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center from Wednesday to Friday, MKX Technologies, MOGOX, and BYD unveiled a new 8.5-meter right-hand-drive Level 4 autonomous electric bus.
How Do Self-Driving Buses Handle Severe Weather?
Lyu Bin, vice president of MOGOX, explained that the engineering teams adapted the vehicles to local climate conditions and traffic rules by training their systems on locally collected road data. Heavy rainfall creates distinct operational hurdles.
It rains frequently in Singapore, and the rainfall can be quite unpredictable,
Lyu said. The latest bus model integrates rain sensors to modify speed dynamically. During severe weather events like torrential downpours, the vehicle disengages autonomous controls and transfers command back to an onboard safety operator.
What Role Does Artificial Intelligence Play in Urban Road Management?
More than 200 enterprises participated in the exhibition, including 30 firms from China. Industry specialists highlighted an approach known as vehicle-road-cloud integration, which links automobiles, physical infrastructure, and cloud systems to streamline traffic flow.
Hikvision demonstrated an application using its Guanlan large-scale AI models to analyze conditions via roadside hardware. Lin Hongxun, a product manager at Hikvision Singapore, stated that lamppost-mounted cameras track vehicle speeds and traffic density.
On highways, the software flags unusual clusters of vehicles appearing within a single camera frame. The system then offers mitigation strategies, such as suggesting alternative routes, reversing lane directions, or shifting physical barriers. Human traffic managers decide whether to act on the recommendations.
At intersections, the technology identifies congestion along an east-west axis while north-south lanes remain empty, prompting recommendations to lengthen green-light cycles by 10 or 20 seconds. Lin noted that components of this system already operate on select Singapore roads, as well as in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and several Central Asian nations.
How Are Automated Rail Systems Reducing Station Wait Times?
While road networks adapt to changing vehicle densities, rail operators focus on punctuality, smooth acceleration, and reduced headway. Casco showcased its Tranavi signaling platform, which relies on communications-based train control.
Zhang Xuan, an engineer at Casco, stated that the signaling system shrinks intervals between trains from 120 seconds down to 90 seconds. Casco has participated in urban signaling initiatives across more than 120 lines globally, including 32 fully automated lines running at Grade of Automation 4, the highest available standard.
The Automatic Train Operation subsystem regulates acceleration, cruising velocity, and braking without human operators. There are no drivers anymore. Everything is controlled by software,
Zhang said. After initial acceleration, the software commands trains to coast under their own momentum, reducing overall energy usage while maintaining strict schedules.
Common Questions About Singapore Mobility Tech
How many companies exhibited at Singapore Urban Mobility Week?
More than 200 companies participated in the event held from Wednesday to Friday, with 30 firms originating from China.
What automation tier do the new electric buses use?
The 8.5-meter right-hand-drive electric buses unveiled by MKX Technologies, MOGOX, and BYD operate at Level 4 autonomy.
How much can signaling systems reduce train intervals?
Casco engineer Zhang Xuan stated that communications-based train control systems can reduce gaps between trains from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.
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