Grab invests in May Mobility as robotaxi startup expands to Southeast Asia

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(Reuters) -May Mobility said on Thursday it has secured a significant equity investment from Singapore-based ridehailing firm Grab, as part of the robotaxi startup’s move to expand in Southeast Asia next year.

The startup’s self-driving technology will be integrated into Grab’s fleet management, vehicle matching, and routing systems.

The deal is a step toward the commercial deployment of robotaxis globally, creating a blueprint for how self-driving taxis are managed within existing ride-hailing platforms.

May Mobility declined to provide further details on Grab’s equity stake in the startup.

This is May Mobility’s third partnership in the ride-hailing industry, following its recent tie-up with Lyft to launch self-driving cars in Atlanta, and an upcoming rollout with Uber in the United States.

May Mobility, which began commercial rides earlier this year in the U.S. without the presence of a human driver, will leverage GrabMaps – Grab’s mapping technology – to study Southeast Asian roads to ensure safe deployment.

GrabMaps uses artificial intelligence to process data from Southeast Asian cities to deliver accurate hyperlocal maps that are updated in real time.

In November 2023, May Mobility secured a 10 billion yen ($65.8 million) investment from Japan’s NTT as part of a push to advance autonomous driving. NTT also announced plans to test self-driving buses and taxis with Toyota Motor this year.

In September, Grab was selected by a Singaporean district to operate autonomous shuttle service routes in the area, for which the company has partnered with Chinese robotaxi firm WeRide, expecting deployment early next year.

May Mobility currently uses modified Toyota Siennas for smaller rides and high-capacity Italian Tecnobus autonomous electric minibuses for higher-density routes.

($1 = 151.88 yen)

(Reporting by Anhata Rooprai and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)