Uber signs up for ID.Buzz AD robotaxi

UBER has been named as the first big client for Volkswagen’s recently launched ID.Buzz AD autonomous vehicle that goes into series production next year.

At the AD’s launch in Hannover, Germany mid-June, Uber said it will “integrate thousands of self-driving ID Buzz ADs into its fleet over the next decade”.

The agreement means VW’s initial plan to run its own ride sharing operation through in-house mobility company Moia may be shelved as the giant automaker “now sees greater value in being a vehicle supplier, particularly outside of Germany, where regulatory and operational complexities are lower,” reported publication Automotive News Europe.

“Competition in the robotaxi space is intense. Tesla is launching a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, while Google’s Waymo is already operating driverless services in the US,” the report added.

Automotive News Europe said several Chinese companies, including Pony.AI, WeRide, and Baidu are also advancing rapidly and looking to expand into Europe. This is creating growing price pressure as fleet customers weigh their options across global providers.

The ID.Buzz AD’s autonomous driving technology was developed by Moia in partnership with Israeli company Mobileye and VW plans to eventually adapt the system for privately owned self-driving vehicles.

Spruiked as the world’s first Level 4 vehicle ready for series production, the ID.Buzz AD was highlighted in Hannover through a test fleet of 36 examples operating in parts of the city… with safety drivers in the vehicles.

Moia plans to seek (German) regulatory approval to operate without human supervision by 2027, at least in Hamburg.

The AD is an adaptation of the new ID.Buzz fully electric van that’s already being used by some by ride-hailing companies and “positions VW Group among the front-runners in the ride-hailing market, which is expected to grow dramatically as the AD variant enables mobility providers to integrate autonomous on-demand services into their offerings,” says Volkswagen.

It goes into production at the company’s Hanover, Germany factory next year featuring space for four passengers, a sliding side door for entry and exit, and a functional interior aimed at fleet use.

Moia said it will “offer” (as opposed to sell) the minivan to cities, municipalities and fleet operators to provide “simple and reliable autonomous mobility”.

Speaking at the Hannover launch, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume called the ID Buzz AD “a milestone” on the road to the automaker becoming a global technology driver emphasising the company’s readiness to deliver autonomous vehicles at high volumes.

Automotive News Europe reports that Moia’s system in the ID.Buzz AD is more hardware-intensive than what is being offered by some competitors using 13 cameras, 27 sensors, nine lidars and five radars that all add to its high cost that is justified by greater safety.

In comparison, Tesla’s system relies solely on cameras, presumably to reduce costs.

Moia said the ID.Buzz AD package brings together all components needed to transform an autonomous vehicle into a ready-to-use mobility system. It includes a vehicle homologated to automotive standards with Mobileye’s self-driving system, along with a proprietary Autonomous Driving Mobility as a Service Ecosystem Platform.

“The software uses artificial intelligence to manage fleets in real time, assist passengers automatically, ensure safety and integrate seamlessly into existing booking apps,” said Moia.

“It also meets key regulatory requirements for SAE Level 4 automated vehicles, such as remote supervision and safe handling of emergency interventions.”

To recap, Level 4 autonomous driving, also known as High Driving Automation, is a significant step towards fully self-driving cars in which vehicles can handle most driving situations independently, including complex urban environments, without human intervention.

However, unlike Level 5, Level 4 vehicles still operate within defined areas referred to as geo-fenced zones and may still require human input in certain situations or outside of those designated areas.

It is ideally suited to robotaxi and autonomous shuttle applications particularly in urban settings and some say has the potential to alter car ownership models.