Volkswagen Group is making significant progress in the development of self-driving electric vans for use in robotaxi services. The company recently began testing prototypes of its Volkswagen ID.Buzz vans in the United States, with plans to have a robotaxi service using these vehicles operational by 2026.
The initial test fleet in the U.S. consists of ten examples of the shorter global version of the ID.Buzz, and it is located in Austin. Volkswagen Group intends to expand the test fleet in the coming years to include at least four more cities in the United States. During the test phase, the self-driving vans will have a safety engineer on board to ensure their safe operation.
However, Volkswagen Group does not plan to offer its own robotaxi service in the United States. Instead, the company aims to provide its self-driving vans, along with fleet management and remote guidance services, to other firms specializing in mobility. Although no specific firms have been mentioned, it is possible that Volkswagen’s self-driving vans could be used in fleets operated by companies like Uber and Lyft.
In addition to the testing in the U.S., Volkswagen Group has been conducting tests on a separate fleet in Germany for the past couple of years. The company plans to launch a robotaxi service in Hamburg by 2025, which will be operated by its own Moia mobility business.
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Since the initial announcement of the self-driving ID.Buzz vans, Volkswagen Group has faced some delays in the retail versions of the vehicle. The electric van, which was originally planned to go on sale in the U.S. in 2023, is now expected to start sales in 2024 as a 2025 model. The U.S. version of the ID.Buzz will be a long-wheelbase model, which is already available in other markets.
Additionally, there have been changes in Volkswagen Group’s partnerships for the robotaxi program. The company’s former leading partner, Argo AI, has been shut down, and Volkswagen Group is now collaborating with Intel’s Mobileye self-driving technology company. Furthermore, the company is developing its own self-driving technology through its Cariad software business and in collaboration with Bosch for privately owned cars. However, the timing for the availability of this technology across Volkswagen Group brands is uncertain.
The self-driving ID.Buzz vans are categorized as Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability. This means that the vehicles can operate fully on their own for extended periods, but only in set conditions, typically within a geofenced area. The highest level of self-driving capability, Level 5, refers to vehicles that can function autonomously in all conditions expected of a human driver.
Overall, Volkswagen Group’s development of self-driving ID.Buzz vans for robotaxi services is progressing well, with testing underway in the U.S. and plans for expansion in the coming years. The company aims to offer its self-driving vans and related services to mobility firms, positioning itself as a key player in the future of autonomous transportation.
