Poppy Mobility, Belgium’s leading car-sharing and rental operator, is introducing remote-driving technology for rental vehicle deliveries in a first for the country.
In collaboration with Ush, a Belgian developer of autonomous and remote-controlled vehicle solutions, the initiative will see vehicles delivered remotely to customers at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
See also: German Remote Driving Company Vay Expands Operations in Las Vegas
Through the Poppy app, users will be able to request rental cars, which will be remotely driven to their location in real-time by Ush’s technology. Upon arrival, customers can either drive the vehicle themselves or opt for a remote driver to take over from Ush’s teledrive station at the company’s headquarters. The service is expected to expand to a full commercial roll-out in Antwerp by 2026.
This remote-driving service is powered by Vay, a German company providing automotive-grade technology for remote operations. Vay, which operates a similar service in Las Vegas, is expanding its fleet to 100 vehicles by 2025 and has recently surpassed 6,000 trips. Ush has formed an exclusive partnership with Vay to further develop and commercialize remote-driving technology in Belgium.
See also: Vay Secures €34 Million from European Investment Bank to Expand Remote-Driving Technology
Max Levandowski, CEO of Ush, emphasized the careful, phased approach to the introduction of remote-driving technology in Belgium, noting that operations will begin with two vehicles at key locations in the port. Thomas von der Ohe, CEO of Vay, highlighted the significance of the partnership in bringing remote-driving technology to European roads, with plans for further expansion across the continent.