Singapore-based superapp Grab has partnered with autonomous vehicle (AV) company May Mobility to launch AV services in Southeast Asia.
As part of the multiyear partnership, Grab invested an undisclosed amount in Michigan-based May Mobility as the company expands operations beyond the U.S. and Japan.
May Mobility’s AV driving technology will be integrated into Grab’s “core ecosystem,” while May Mobility will have access to GrabMaps, the superapp’s proprietary mapping technology.
According to the companies, access to the maps of Southeast Asia’s road infrastructure will “help speed up the deployment of May Mobility’s AVs and drive more efficient operations,” particularly with GrabMaps’ ability to monitor changing conditions and track traffic and road closures.
“We believe AVs have an important role to play in the future of mobility in Southeast Asia, complementing our driver network as well as public transport systems. Grab is intent on taking an active role in facilitating the introduction of AVs with a safety-first approach and in a way that benefits the wider community,” said Dominic Ong, general manager of autonomous at Grab.
“We see our partnership with May Mobility as a powerful synergy of hyperlocal expertise and global capabilities. We are excited to learn from them and work with them to adapt their technology to Southeast Asia’s needs.”
The deal with Grab marks the third partnership for May Mobility, which recently launched on the Lyft network in Atlanta. It also has an upcoming launch with Uber, having first announced a partnership in May. In 2022, the company raised $83 million in a Series C round.
Grab also launched its “Partner Apps” feature last week, giving users in Southeast Asia access to third-party brands within the Grab app. Grab is starting with five partners: global eSIM provider Firsty, bicycle-sharing provider HelloRide, entertainment platform Jolibox, bus ticketing platform redBus and peer-to-peer car-sharing platform Drive lah.