3 S'pore driving schools suspended 13,400 suspected booking bot accounts in 2025: Shanmugam

The three driving schools — Singapore Safety Driving Centre in Woodlands, ComfortDelGro Driving Centre in Ubi, and Bukit Batok Driving Centre — have suspended close to 13,400 accounts suspected of bot activity in 2025.

These statistics were shared by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on May 6.

His response was made to a parliamentary question posed by Sembawang GRC MP Gabriel Lam.

Booking bots

Lam had asked if the government has data on the use of bots or third-party services for booking driving lesson slots, and if fair access for learners can be ensured with a centralised or queue-based booking system.

The Straits Times reported in 2025 that learners had to turn to bots, such as those offered on the Telegram messaging app, which are programmed to track available slots in the driving centre's booking system.

Booking bots are also offered as paid services to help learners book slots directly.

Listings to engage the services of booking bots are also offered on e-commerce platforms, such as Carousell.

Anti-bot measures

There are currently no legal penalties for bot builders and users, it was also previously reported.

However, the traffic police have directed the schools to implement anti-bot measures such as Captcha authentication and account restrictions when they detect suspicious logins, Shanmugam said.

Currently, there are no plans to implement a centralised booking system, it was added.

"It is more appropriate, expedient and practical for the driving schools to design and manage their respective booking systems, because they all have different commercial and operating models," Shanmugam said.

The current wait times reflect a mismatch between the supply and demand for Class 3 lessons, he added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and TP are studying additional supply measures to improve the situation, he also said.