Cover image via Grab / Tech in Asia & Grab (Provided to SAYS)
Grab has just announced a slew of new features, designed to provide helpful solutions for everyone
So, whether you're a parent who wants to arrange transportation for their kids or simply a hermit who just wants to have a snack alone, these new features may become a part of your everyday life. Let's dive in.
Because we're Malaysian, we're starting with GrabFood
Grab now has an option for solo eaters, aptly called GrabFood for One. It features a specially curated menu for those eating alone, with no minimum spend and a fixed lower delivery fee.
That means you no longer have to pay extra for a small order fee, nor add more to your order to make the most of your delivery. This helpful feature is now available in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Image via Grab (Provided to SAYS)
For those who tend to eat in bigger groups, Grab has you covered as well. The platform uses a tailored large language model (LLM) to determine just how big your order is.
If the algorithm finds that the order's too big for a single delivery rider, either a four-wheeler will be arranged, or the order will be split in half with two separate motorbike riders assigned to handle it.
Image via Grab (Provided to SAYS)
All this is done on Grab's end with no extra cost, so you don't need to worry about the logistics of large orders. The feature has gone live across Southeast Asia.
Speaking of deliveries, there's also a "Shared Saver" option, which is like Group Order but with strangers
This is a delivery option that is currently piloting in Singapore, with pilots expected to roll out across other cities by June. When you select the Shared Saver option on your Grab account, you can discover and join live orders near you (the list of other people in the order is not disclosed, of course).
Regardless of you piggybacking someone else's live order or starting one yourself, Grab's in-built artificial intelligence (AI) can detect if there are multiple orders for the same merchant from users in the same vicinity. These orders will then be grouped together, resulting in a cheaper delivery fee.
Image via RinggitPlus
If you'd rather jalan-jalan to your makan spots instead, Grab can help you find them, quite literally
Powered by GrabMaps, the soon-to-be-launched Dine Out Discovery can help users discover places to eat, offering filters based on cuisine, food preferences, popularity, ratings, price range, and even its walkability.
Users can get directions to their chosen venue via the Maps interface, or they can simply book a ride there. This feature is set to launch in May across all markets, and a further feature allowing users to make a reservation is also set to launch at the same time, albeit in Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand first before reaching other markets.
Now, on to GrabRide. "Grab for Family | Teens" is aimed at providing a safe way for teenagers to travel via Grab while giving their loved ones peace of mind.
Image via Grab
Through their own Teens account linked to a main Grab for Family account, teenagers can now book rides on their own or have their rides booked for them by their parents or guardians.
These rides come with extra safety features such as top-rated drivers, a ride PIN verification that would warrant a specific PIN from the driver before the ride is to start, and an always-on "AudioProtect".
The AudioProtect feature uses generative AI to detect if there's any danger in the car in real-time. If flagged, the Grab safety team will be notified for immediate intervention.
Grab for Family | Teens will launch in May.
Grab's Advance Booking also gets an upgrade, this time with dynamic schedules for airport pickups
Once a user has booked a ride, the system will track their flight in real-time and adjust driver schedules dynamically based on actual arrival times, ensuring a driver even if the flight has been delayed.
The Advance Booking (Airport Pickup) feature is currently available at selected airports, with more airports in major cities expected to be added in the coming months.
Image via SAYS
Grab has also launched a new Travel Pass, which can be purchased in the Grab app before a trip. With it comes various vouchers for rides, food, and dining out to make travelling around Southeast Asia easier and more affordable.
Harnessing the power of AI, Grab is also providing tools for merchants and drivers alike
At its recent GrabX event, Grab unveiled its AI Merchant Assistant and AI Driver Companion, helpful tools that were developed in collaboration with OpenAI and Anthropic.
AI Merchant Assistant is an AI chat bot that acts like a business advisor for Grab merchants, becoming an especially helpful resource for small businesses.
It's powered by LLMs integrated within the GrabMerchant app, and is able to assist in various tasks such as offering personalised business suggestions, updating in-app menus, and highlighting key insights to how the business is doing on Grab.
On the other hand, AI Driver Companion helps drivers find jobs faster by using real-time and historical data to predict where ride demand will be highest.
This also comes with a new AI-assisted voice reporting tool, which lets drivers update Grab about road conditions by speaking aloud instead of manually submitting it like they used to.
The features were announced at the company's inaugural GrabX event.
Image via Grab (Provided to SAYS)
Users who wish to be among the first to try out the new features can do so by signing up for Grab's Early Access Programme here.
