VW to Launch Autonomous Vehicle Trials in the US This Month
Volkswagen, known for its self-driving car trials, is now expanding its experiments to the United States. This month, the automaker will introduce its initial fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin. Consisting of 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans, these vehicles will utilize Mobileye’s Level 4 self-driving system, which offers complete autonomy in certain situations. The primary purpose of this initiative is to gather driving data that will help enhance and authenticate the technology. To ensure safety, these early models will have human drivers onboard.
The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and expand testing to “at least” four other U.S. cities. If all goes well, VW will launch a commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It also entitles third parties to offer driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transport companies. The company also plans to hire people who previously worked with defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.
The deployment is not surprising. Although Ford shut down the Argo to focus on semi-autonomous capabilities in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM’s Cruise is bringing its robot taxi to several cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW is to compete with these robotaxi rivals.
The emphasis on self-driving technology also reflects VW’s ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It adapts to an era where ride-hailing and robotic axles reduce the need to own a personal car. Driving announcements and fleet agreements can help VW succeed even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on whether the driverless technology is ready in time. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off driving where the driver must be ready to take the reins) is just beginning to reach passenger cars in the United States, and only in limited circumstances. It may take some time for these platforms to be advanced enough to make autonomous taxis practical on a large scale.
