GRAB Malaysia has launched Kid-Friendly Rides (Beta), a new ride-hailing feature designed for families travelling with children aged four to 12, with selected vehicles equipped with booster seats.
The service is being introduced in line with child restraint system (CRS) safety guidance, with a limited fleet of Standard 6-seater vehicles equipped with booster seats supplied by Koopers. Driver-partners participating in the service are trained in the use of child restraints.
The feature is currently available through Advance Booking for airport rides to and from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Grab said it will be rolled out progressively across the wider Klang Valley, followed by Penang and Johor Bahru.
Grab Malaysia Executive Director Rashid Shukor said the service was intended to address one of the practical difficulties families face when travelling with young children.
“Families should be able to travel with their children with greater peace of mind, without managing the hassle of carrying heavy and cumbersome child seats,” he stated.
“With Kid-Friendly Rides (Beta), we hope to make it easier for families to travel light by offering dedicated booster seats.
“This reflects a commitment we share with the Ministry of Transport, MIROS and partners like Koopers to ensure that when families travel, they travel safely, and that children are never an afterthought on the road.”
Malaysia made the use of child restraint systems mandatory from Jan 1, 2020, under amendments to the Motor Vehicle (Seat Belt and Child Restraint System) Rules.
MIROS says CRS are intended to reduce the risk of injury to children in road crashes and has issued guidance covering appropriate restraint standards and their use.
However, research has continued to highlight challenges around CRS awareness and consistent use.
A review of Malaysian child-restraint research noted low levels of usage before the 2020 requirement came into force, while subsequent studies have continued to identify awareness and compliance as areas requiring attention.
MIROS Director-General Associate Professor Ir Ts Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak said protecting children on the road required cooperation between families, service providers and other stakeholders.
“Protecting children on the road is a shared responsibility,” she said.
“Research has found that booster seats reduce injury risk by 45% for children aged four to eight compared with seat belts alone. MIROS’s CRS guidelines emphasise selecting a suitable restraint for the child’s size and installing it correctly.”
The 45% figure is supported by research cited by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which found that children aged four to eight using belt-positioning booster seats were 45% less likely to sustain injury in crashes than those using seat belts alone.
Siti Zaharah said MIROS welcomed initiatives that made child restraints more accessible to families using ride-hailing services and encouraged their correct use.
How to book
Families can access Kid-Friendly Rides (Beta) through the Grab app by selecting Car, followed by Advance Booking, and scheduling their preferred pick-up time.
After entering a pick-up or drop-off location to or from KLIA, users can select the feature under Standard 6-Seater or Grab EV Exec.
A Standard 6-Seater booking comes with one booster seat for an additional RM10, for children aged four to 12. Koopers Boost Fix booster seats are also available on selected Grab EV Exec rides as a complimentary feature.
Grab said the launch forms part of its broader safety initiatives, including AudioProtect and Women-Only Rides (Beta), which was introduced in 2026 to give women passengers and driver-partners additional safety options.
The company said Kid-Friendly Rides (Beta) would initially focus on airport transfers before being expanded to other locations as the service rolls out progressively. ‒ Focus Malaysia
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