Volkswagen and Uber announced plans to deploy a fleet of autonomous electric vehicles in the United States, with a commercial rollout slated for Los Angeles in late 2026. The move marks a significant step forward in the companies’ efforts to expand autonomous ride-hailing services in a competitive U.S. market.
The service will be based on Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz AD – a variant of the company’s all-electric van equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology developed in collaboration with Mobileye and VW subsidiary Moia. The ID. Buzz AD is already undergoing testing in several cities, including Hamburg, Munich, Oslo, and Austin, Texas.
See also: Volkswagen’s Moia Tests Autonomous ID. Buzz in Oslo’s Winter Conditions
“Our partnership with Uber is the next step for us to realize this vision and unleash the potential of autonomous mobility,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. “Through our work with Uber, we’ll introduce the ID. Buzz, the reimagined version of the iconic Microbus in all-electric form, to a growing number of riders in the years to come.”
Volkswagen and Uber plan to begin a pilot program in 2024. During the initial phases, the vehicles will include safety drivers, but the companies aim to operate fully autonomous vehicles without human supervision once regulatory approvals are secured.
See also: Volkswagen Expands Autonomous Driving Partnerships with Valeo and Mobileye
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi welcomed the collaboration, describing it as a milestone in the evolution of self-driving mobility. “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the advancement of autonomous mobility, and highlights both Volkswagen’s and Uber’s shared dedication to building the future of transportation,” Khosrowshahi said. “We can’t wait to launch in Los Angeles late next year.”
The announcement follows recent comments from Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, who said the company aims to compete with U.S. tech players such as Waymo. “We see great progress on the way to being able to offer an integrated series solution in the next few years. Comparable to Waymo, but with our own product – the ID. Buzz,” Blume told manager magazin.
See also: Volkswagen Accelerates Autonomous Driving Ambitions with Mobileye Partnership
The companies’ push into the U.S. robotaxi market comes amid growing interest in autonomous ride-hailing, with Waymo already operating services in cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. Volkswagen and Uber’s initiative reflects increasing momentum among global automakers to commercialize autonomous vehicles in partnership with technology firms.