Robotaxi pilots could reach PH roads by 2029, mobility think tank says

Driverless taxi pilots could be operating on Philippine roads as early as 2029 if regulators begin preparing a safety framework within the next 18 months, according to a report released Thursday by the Asia Mobility Lab, an independent transport research group.

The study, “Streets Ahead,” ranks the Philippines ninth among 12 Asian markets on robotaxi readiness, citing gaps in road-marking quality, geofencing infrastructure and liability law. But it describes the country as a credible “fast follower,” pointing to the wide arterial roads and government-backed zoning of New Clark City and the Clark Freeport Zone as the most viable first testing corridors.

Regional momentum is accelerating, the report notes, with commercial driverless ride services scaling up operations in Singapore and southern China over the past two years and several manufacturers looking for new regulated markets to enter.

“The question is no longer whether driverless ride services work — it is whether our rules are ready before the cars arrive. A pilot zone with clear incident reporting and remote-operator licensing would put the Philippines on the map,” said Enrique Delgado-Yu, the report’s lead author.

Among its recommendations, the think tank urges the Department of Transportation to convene a technical working group covering remote-operator certification, mandatory black-box data sharing, insurance products for automated fleets, and public trust surveys before any passenger service begins.

The Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but officials have previously said automated-vehicle pilot guidelines were being studied alongside the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act’s implementing rules.