Grab will team with driver-less software developer nuTonomy Inc. to expand the reach of its small fleet of autonomous driving cars in Singapore, and work toward nuTonomy’s goal of a full commercial launch by 2018. Grab becomes the second car-hailing service to offer self-driven vehicles on a trial basis to its users, after Uber Technologies Inc.

Until now, nuTonomy’s trial had been open only to hand-picked members of the public and its fleet was restricted to a 200-hectare business park with light traffic. But from Friday, a small group of Grab users will be able to use the app to book a ride beyond those confines, with an on-board engineer deciding whether to accept the booking. The engineer can take factors such as distance and destination into account.

Since the point is to test autonomous and booking systems, all rides come free, the two companies said in a statement. As with the original trial that began August, nuTonomy employees tag along to ensure passenger safety, ready to take the wheel when the car leaves the designated business park.

“Partnering with Grab to expand our public trial in Singapore will yield valuable feedback and consumer insights,” Karl Iagnemma, nuTonomy’s chief executive officer and co-founder, said in the statement.

(Read also: World's first self-driving taxis debut in Singapore)

Self-driven taxis have gained attention since Uber said it will allow customers in downtown Pittsburgh to summon cars with their phones. Like nuTonomy’s trial, that fleet of specially modified Volvo XC90 SUVs will be supervised by humans in the driver’s seat.

NuTonomy runs just one of several ongoing autonomous driving projects in Singapore, which is promoting the technology as part of efforts to reduce a reliance on privately owned cars. Public transit operator SMRT Corp. set up a venture in April with a Netherlands-based company to operate “driverless pods.” A center for testing and research of autonomous vehicles was set up by the land transport authority and one of its universities.

The partnership with Grab will run for two months initially, enabling the pair to study the user patterns and behavior, to be extended if the collaboration proves useful. Results from the tie-up can be used to enhance routing and mapping for self-driving vehicles, while improving the performance and safety of nuTonomy’s cars.

“This landmark tech partnership is a step towards supplementing Singapore’s transport network,” Grab CEO Anthony Tan said in the statement.

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