Autonomous VW ID. Buzz shuttles take their first US passengers: Moia’s answer to Tesla Robotaxi
Moia, Volkswagen’s mobility arm, is carrying its first passengers in autonomous ID. Buzz AD vans with Mobileye technology in Orlando. Partner Beep is set to receive 5,000 autonomous vehicles for public transport.
Volkswagen is taking its first serious step with members of the public on board in the US. Moia America, the US subsidiary of the group's mobility brand, has started passenger rides in autonomous VW ID. Buzz AD vans in the Lake Nona community of Orlando, Florida, together with operator Beep.
How it works
For now it's a test phase for invited riders only. They book a trip in the Beep app and get on and off at fixed stops along three routes in Lake Nona. Anyone who wants to join future tests can sign up for Beep's waitlist.
For Moia, it's the first time its autonomous ID. Buzz vans have carried passengers in traffic at normal speeds. A trained operator is on board, though, and can take over at any time. Riders are asked for feedback after each trip.
The self-driving system comes from Mobileye. The ID. Buzz AD carries cameras, radar and lidar, and pre-series production started this spring in Hanover.
The target: 5,000 autonomous vehicles
The Moia–Beep partnership, announced in April, has an ambitious goal: a fleet of 5,000 autonomous vehicles for public transport in several US cities over the next decade.
The difference from Tesla is the business model as much as the tech. Beep doesn't sell single-party robotaxi rides; it runs shared shuttles that plug into public transit. VW covers classic robotaxis separately, through Moia's partnership with Uber in Los Angeles. The ID. Buzz AD is also being tested in Hamburg and Berlin.
Orlando also happens to be one of the cities where Tesla's Robotaxi operates. Tesla bets on cameras and small cars, with no one on board in some areas. VW bets on multiple sensors, a tech partner and, for now, a human on board. Who scales faster is still an open question.
