NCS, A2Z partner to advance autonomous mobility in Singapore

NCS and South Korean autonomous driving company Autonomous A2Z have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and deploy autonomous mobility systems in Singapore, focusing on security, governance and regulatory compliance.

The agreement links A2Z's autonomous vehicle platforms with NCS' capabilities in systems integration, sovereign AI and cybersecurity. The companies have outlined a joint roadmap that includes demonstrations, pilot deployments and technical knowledge transfer between their teams.

NCS will lead the integration of autonomous technologies into operational deployments, covering safety and operational consistency, as well as alignment with Singapore's regulatory requirements for autonomous operations.

A2Z will provide its full-stack autonomous vehicle platforms, along with engineering expertise and technical know-how. NCS will contribute experience integrating large-scale technology programmes and running security programmes for public sector and critical infrastructure environments.

The collaboration also includes upgrading selected operational vehicles with autonomous features. The companies expect this to improve data collection, with better real-time visibility and reporting prioritised for oversight and compliance.

Pilot roadmap

The pilot roadmap is expected to include staged deployments and demonstrations. It also covers knowledge transfer, including joint engineering work and operational handover as systems move from test environments to live settings.

Singapore has been an active market for trials and early deployments of autonomous vehicles, as government agencies and commercial operators explore new operating models for transport, logistics and site operations. The agreement signals a push to combine vehicle autonomy with systems integration and assurance work addressing safety governance and cyber risk.

NCS linked the work to longer-term labour pressures, positioning autonomous mobility as a response to manpower constraints and part of a broader shift towards robotics and what it calls Physical AI.

"In uniting A2Z's world-class platforms with NCS' deep expertise and capabilities, we turn leading-edge technology into robust and scalable operations in the autonomous vehicle space," said Sam Liew, CEO-designate, NCS.

Singapore is also central to A2Z's international plans. The company has highlighted its experience operating autonomous vehicles in South Korea and disclosed steps to build a presence in Singapore and other markets.

A2Z footprint

Autonomous A2Z was founded in 2018 by chief executive Jihyeong Han and three former Hyundai Motor Group autonomous driving engineers. It says it operates South Korea's largest fleet of autonomous vehicles, with experience running 82 vehicles nationwide and logging about 940,000 kilometres of autonomous driving in urban settings.

A2Z develops urban autonomous shuttles and logistics mobility systems. It also says it completed development of a Level 4 autonomous vehicle, ROii, in 2024 and plans to pursue full commercialisation after performance certification testing in 2026.

In Singapore, A2Z has disclosed a joint venture called A2G with expansion partner KILSA Global. It also says it secured the COSMO smart city project in Singapore and became the first Korean company to obtain a local autonomous driving licence, described as M1.

Outside Singapore, A2Z has outlined joint venture activity in the UAE with AI company Space42 and a memorandum of understanding with Japanese trading company Kanematsu.

NCS is part of Singtel Group and operates across Asia Pacific. It works with public sector bodies and enterprises on applications, infrastructure, engineering and cybersecurity, and has a workforce of more than 15,000 across dozens of specialisations.

For NCS, the agreement adds another international partner in autonomous systems as governments and operators assess how to manage safety governance and cyber assurance for vehicles that rely on software, sensors and connected systems. For A2Z, it provides a systems integration partner with local knowledge of operating requirements and security expectations in Singapore.

"This collaboration represents a significant milestone in advancing the safe and scalable deployment of autonomous driving technology," said Jihyeong Han, CEO, A2Z. "By integrating A2Z's full-stack autonomous driving platform with NCS' expertise in systems integration, sovereign AI, and cybersecurity, we are paving the way toward a trusted and resilient autonomous mobility ecosystem."