Grab and NUS set up AI lab in Singapore to make cities smarter

Technology company Grab and the National University of Singapore (NUS) has set up an artificial intelligence (AI) lab to help develop smarter cities in South-east Asia. The partnership intends to solve challenges such as congestion and the liveability of cities in the region. The Grab-NUS AI Lab, part of an initial joint investment of S$6m (£3.3m), will utilise data from the Grab platform to provide insights into how citizens move across cities. It will also be used to map out traffic patterns and ident
July 20, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Technology company Grab and the National University of Singapore (NUS) has set up an artificial intelligence (AI) lab to help develop smarter cities in South-east Asia. The partnership intends to solve challenges such as congestion and the liveability of cities in the region.


The Grab-NUS AI Lab, part of an initial joint investment of S$6m (£3.3m), will utilise data from the Grab platform to provide insights into how citizens move across cities. It will also be used to map out traffic patterns and identify ways to impact mobility directly.

Initially, the companies will work together to improve the efficiency and reliability of transport on the Grab platform. Researchers at the laboratory will create an AI platform for machine learning and visual analytics to help develop applications from Grab’s data set.

Additionally, the team will develop algorithms to provide passengers with smart services based on insights into their needs and to improve accuracy when mapping pick-up points. The technology is also expected to detect traffic events and anomalies in real time and improve urban traffic flow.

Anthony Tan, Grab co-founder, says data from the platform shows how travel time from the region of Newton to the Tanjong Pagar district can be improved.

“If this route would be better served by more shared transport solutions, such as buses, trains, GrabShuttle, GrabShare or GrabHitch, we could bring travel time during peak hour down by one third or from 40 to 28 minutes,” Tan adds.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Wi-Fi win-win for mass transit
    October 31, 2014
    David Crawford explores passenger and operator benefits of on-board Wi-Fi Urban commuters’ growing demand for continuous – and reliable - internet connectivity is spurring network operators into the rapid installation of high-grade Wi-Fi access on their surface and underground networks, as well as in their stations. Such moves are often a key part of strategies to maintain and increase ridership levels.
    Read More
  • Wejo unveils data products to predict traffic build-up
    September 24, 2019
    Wejo has launched three products using connected vehicle data which it says can pinpoint where and when traffic is going to build up. Wejo founder Richard Barlow says the company has curated more than 130 billion miles of data, showing “the positive impact connected vehicles have on solving some of today’s biggest challenges facing road users”. He adds: “Drivers get direct benefits from sharing their connected vehicle data enabling their journeys to be faster, safer and less polluting.” The compan
    Read More
  • Grab enters smart city agreement with Sinar Mas Land in Indonesia
    March 12, 2019
    Grab has partnered in Indonesia with property developer Sinar Mas Land to strengthen BSD (Bumi Serpong Damai) City’s position as an integrated smart digital city. BSD City is an urban planning scheme which combines housing, business and commercial property over approximately 6,000 hectares. Grab is to provide smart mobility solutions, support small and medium enterprises and encourage technological development. Michael Widjaja, group CEO of Sinar Mas Land, says the company is developing an integr
    Read More
  • Lyt dives with Coral into ITS
    July 8, 2022
    Companies team up to sell traffic signal priority solutions in US Pacific Northwest
    Read More

Highlighted Content