Volkswagen‘s subsidiary Moia announced on Tuesday the series production model of its self-driving ID Buzz minivans, which will join its planned robotaxi service in Los Angeles in 2026.
The ID.Buzz AD is based on the company’s seven-seat model, and the carmaker plans to grant full certification for it to operate driverless in Europe and the U.S.
According to Volkswagen Group‘s CEO, Oliver Blume, the series production will already start next year.
The chief executive added that “cities, municipalities, and fleet operators” will be able to “provide autonomous mobility for all simply and reliably.”
The ID. Buzz AD will be a road-approved vehicle equipped with Intel’s Mobileye self-driving technology (which includes cameras, sensors and LiDAR).
It is integrated into a proprietary Autonomous Driving Mobility-as-a-Service (AD MaaS) ecosystem platform.
According to Moia, it is a turnkey autonomous driving solution, which also includes Operator Enablement services. These services offer support to operators of autonomous vehicle fleets, helping them set up and run the AD ecosystem.
Moia enables mobility providers to add autonomous ride services to their existing apps. Its software uses AI to manage fleets in real time, assist passengers, ensure safety, and work smoothly with current booking systems.
The company stated that the system also meets key safety rules for SAE’s Level 4 self-driving vehicles, including remote monitoring and handling of emergencies.
“Autonomous vehicles can help tackle challenges such as the growing driver shortage and low service demand in rural regions, Moia’s CEO Sascha Meyer stated.
Earlier this year, Volkswagen partnered with Uber in the United States to offer fully autonomous rides in the country.
The German giant will deploy “thousands” of fully autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles equipped with Moia technology, starting in Los Angeles.
The first fully-autonomous service to launch in California was Google’s Waymo, in 2020.
U.S. brand Tesla is preparing to launch its ride-hailing service next week in Austin, Texas — a state with more permissive regulations for fully autonomous driving, when compared to California.
Volkswagen also conducted testing of its fully autonomous ID.Buzz in Austin in 2023.
The German automaker plans to transform its approach to the automotive industry by partnering with leading software-driven electric vehicle companies like Irvine-based Rivian and China’s XPeng.
Volkswagen Groups‘s subsidiary Moia was launched in late 2016. By then, and according to The Verge, the automaker hoped for it to generate a significant share of sale revenue by 2025.
