Autonomous Ride-Hailing Just Got Real: VW And Uber Reveal First US City

Volkswagen Group VWAGY of America’s autonomous mobility subsidiary Volkswagen ADMT and Uber Technologies, Inc UBER on Thursday announced a collaboration to deploy a fleet of thousands of all-electric, fully autonomous ID. Buzz AD vehicles within multiple U.S. markets, starting in Los Angeles over the next decade.

Volkswagen and Uber announced a strategic partnership to deploy autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform.

Testing will likely begin later this year, with the first commercial launch in Los Angeles by 2026.

Also Read: Lyft Stock Downgraded On Autonomous Vehicle Risk From Waymo, Tesla Competition

During the initial testing and launch phases, ID. Buzz AD vehicles will have human operators onboard to help refine the technology and ensure safety.

MOIA, a Volkswagen AG autonomous mobility brand, will provide an integrated solution for autonomous driving, including the ID. Buzz AD and software-based system for the deployment on the Uber platform.

Now, let us look at some recent autonomous driving deals.

In March, Mobileye Global Inc MBLY bagged its first Surround ADAS win with Volkswagen, marking a key step in monetizing advanced driver-assist tech.

In April, Uber and WeRide Inc WRD partnered with Dubai’s RTA to launch autonomous vehicles, advancing Dubai’s self-driving transport goals.

Tesla Inc TSLA tweeted Wednesday that it has started testing its autonomous ride-hail service with employees in Austin and the Bay Area ahead of the company's planned robotaxi launch this summer.

Bank of America analyst John Murphy expects Tesla’s robotaxi segment to account for 50% of the EV company’s valuation and be worth $420 billion in the U.S. and over $800 billion globally.

Tesla chief Elon Musk expects the EV giant’s robotaxi fleet to function like a combination of Airbnb, Inc ABNB and Uber.

Price Actions: At the last check on Thursday, UBER stock is up 4.3% to $76.97.

Read Next: