Volkswagen subsidiary MOIA America and ride-hailing giant Uber announced on Wednesday that they have officially kicked off road testing for autonomous minibuses in Los Angeles. The move marks a significant milestone in the companies' goal to launch a commercial robotaxi service by the end of next year.
Entering the Robotaxi Market
Last year, Volkswagen and Uber entered into a partnership to deploy autonomous electric ID. Buzz vans across several U.S. cities over the next decade. Los Angeles was selected as the inaugural pilot city for the initiative.
According to the companies, the initial test fleet consists of approximately 10 autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles. The production model is designed to seat four passengers, aiming to offer a fresh mobility experience for urban commuters.
"Los Angeles has a deep-rooted car culture and a high level of openness to emerging transportation technologies, making it an ideal market to introduce autonomous driving," said Paul DeLong, President of Commercial Operations at MOIA America.
To support the testing operations, the two companies have established a joint facility in Los Angeles to manage daily fleet operations and dispatching. While the current fleet is modest, Volkswagen indicated plans to scale up to over 100 vehicles in the future.
For now, the test vehicles will still be staffed by human safety drivers to monitor performance and intervene if necessary. Volkswagen expects the fleet to transition to fully driverless operations by 2027.
Sascha Meyer, Chief Commercial Officer of Volkswagen ADMT, commented that the launch reflects the company's strong momentum in moving autonomous technology from R&D into practical, commercial application.
Notably, MOIA America previously operated under the name "Volkswagen ADMT." The rebranding is intended to consolidate Volkswagen’s global autonomous driving resources and sharpen its strategic focus within the North American market.
