Grab, the ride-hailing company, plans to launch a pilot of its first delivery AI robot in Punggol, Singapore, in late 2026. The robot, called Carri, is designed to handle the first and final 100 meters of delivery journeys, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks and improving delivery coverage in areas with high demand.
Singapore ’s delivery economy may soon gain a new co-worker; one that doesn’t ride a bike, wait for lifts, or search for block numbers. Grab plans to launch a pilot of its first delivery AI robot in Punggol in late 2026 as it pushes further into physical artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, according to Fortune’s report.
The move is to address a problem many Singapore businesses already know all too well: service demand keeps growing, but workers remain hard to find, and labour costs keep staying high. So rather than replacing Grab drivers outright, Grab says the robots are meant to handle the least efficient parts of delivery.
Grab’s robot, called Carri, is built to handle the first and final 100 metres of delivery journeys, including tasks such as moving food or parcels from roadside pickup points to apartment doorsteps. Speaking at the Asia Tech (ATx) summit on May 20, Grab chief technology officer Suthen Paradatheth said these small stretches consume meaningful time across thousands of deliveries each day. Mr Paradatheth further explained that most Grab deliveries already travel more than two kilometres.
The usual friction happens before and after the actual trip, where drivers spend time walking, locating units, waiting, and completing handoffs. Grab estimates that these final steps account for around 10% of delivery time. For Grab drivers, that could mean fewer repetitive tasks. For customers, the company hopes to improve delivery coverage in areas with demand where drivers are less likely to wait around.
Mr Paradatheth said autonomous vehicles could help expand services in supply-constrained markets such as Singapore. Grab will not be alone in AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicle tests. Seven other firms, including logistics company DHL and local startup Quikbot, are expected to test autonomous systems in Punggol. The pilots extend beyond food delivery.
Other projects will focus on parcel handling, cleaning, and security work. Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, said at the ATx summit that the government plans to support these trials through shared testing systems, operating rules, and infrastructure that enable robots to move safely across the district. Her view was that these tools can help workers extend services into places that are harder to serve consistently.
Germany’s foreign minister says support for Ukraine and Israel may have cost votes after Berlin failed to secure a rotating spot on the UN Security Council. Johann Wadephul described losing out to the US and China as a 'disaster' for Germany
Grab Delivery AI Robot Carri Singapore Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Robotics Autonomous Vehicles Logistics Company DHL Local Startup Quikbot Asia Tech (Atx) Summit Josephine Teo Germany's Foreign Minister UN Security Council Support For Ukraine And Israel Losing Out To The US And China
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