Self-driving car trial in Singapore opens to (some) Grab app users

It's been nearly impossible catching a ride with Nutonomy's self-driving car in Singapore, but chances just got raised a little because the driving tech startup has opened seats to users of ride-hailing app, Grab.

Nutonomy is an MIT spin-out that has been running limited closed trials of its self-driving car in a small business park in Singapore. 

SEE ALSO: Sorry, driverless cars are not in your near future

On Friday it announced it would start allowing a handful of Grab users to see the option to book the self-driving car.

Users who have the option will need to select a timeslot in advance for the car service.

Image: victoria ho/mashable

Mashable understands that just two of the previously-reported six cars Nutonomy planned for trials are in operation. 

The other four are awaiting authorisation and further approval before they become road-worthy.

Image: victoria ho/mashable

With the tie-up, Grab can now boast having self-driving cars (sort of), quickly following U.S. rivals Uber and Lyft which have plunged in the autonomous game.

Uber is working with auto makers such as Ford and Volvo, and has been running a pilot trial on the roads in Pittsburgh for the past three months.

Another ride-hailing player in the U.S., Lyft has a partnership with General Motors, and its fleet of Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis is expected to come out in 2017.

Like the Uber autonomous rides you can catch in Pittsburgh, the Singapore ride will come with a safety driver behind the wheel and a support engineer onboard.

Only one passenger is allowed to ride per booking, and rides will travel within the business park.

Image: victoria ho/mashable

In June, a driver in a Tesla died while its semi-autonomous Autopilot system was engaged. 

Investigations showed that neither Autopilot nor the driver saw the tractor trailer that crossed in front of the car, colliding with the Tesla.