Singapore. Grab Holdings said it will launch its first autonomous ride service in Singapore by early 2026, as the Southeast Asian super-app leans harder into automation while continuing to cut subsidy intensity and drive profitability.

The service, branded Autonomously Intelligent Ride (Ai.R), will be deployed in partnership with China’s WeRide and is expected to begin carrying its first passengers in early 2026, the Singapore-based company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Grab said Ai.R will initially operate on selected routes and is designed to improve access to everyday amenities, including supermarkets, schools, and key transport nodes.

Grab also disclosed a multiyear integration agreement with Michigan-based May Mobility, which will connect autonomous routing, vehicle matching, and fleet-management technology into Grab’s platform. The intention is to create an AV deployment stack tailored for Southeast Asia’s local infrastructure constraints, narrow urban roads, mixed traffic patterns, and high-density streets.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritize innovation to fuel profitable growth in our core on-demand business, while making disciplined investments to accelerate growth in Financial Services and explore autonomous vehicle and remote driving opportunities,” Chief Executive Officer Anthony Tan said.

The technology push comes against another quarter of improving financials, albeit still powered by significant incentive spending.

Revenue rose 22 percent year-on-year to $873 million in the third quarter, supported by growth in both on-demand and financial services. On-demand gross merchandise value climbed 24 percent to $5.8 billion as monthly transacting users rose 16 percent and transactions jumped 27 percent.

Grab spent $585 million on incentives in the quarter. Subsidies for the on-demand business equaled 10.1 percent of GMV --flat versus the second quarter but higher than a year earlier-- as Grab continues to use promotions, vouchers, and driver bonuses to push volume across mobility and deliveries.

Operating profit reached $27 million in the quarter, a $65 million improvement from a year earlier. Net profit was $17 million for the period. Adjusted EBITDA climbed to $136 million from $90 million, marking the company’s 15th straight quarter of improvement.

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