Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, a brand within the Volkswagen Group, announced on March 1 that it will conduct autonomous driving field trials in Germany this year with a version of its electric ID. BUZZ model. The model will be outfitted with a self-driving system by Argo AI, an autonomous software provider in which Ford and Volkswagen have invested.
The aim is to develop a ride-hailing and pooling concept like VW’s MOIA unit, which offers on-demand services such as ride pooling, the company said in a statement.
The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles unit is responsible for the development of autonomous systems and their commercial use in urban areas. The brand plans to develop and build Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), such as robotaxis and vans. The initial investment is $1 billion. The company expects to launch a service by 2025.
“In the middle of this decade, our customers will then have the opportunity to be taken to their destination in selected cities with autonomous vehicles," said Christian Senger, head of autonomous driving at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, in a statement.
The Volkswagen Group’s subsidiary AID (Autonomous Intelligent Driving) has teamed up with Argo AI. VW is also investing in autonomous projects independently of Argo AI through its own software company, the Car.Software Organization. The Car.Software Organisation develops assisted and automated driving functions up to Level 4 for the private mobility sector of all Volkswagen Group brands.
