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Volkswagen: ID Buzz Concept Vehicles

Volkswagen rolls out Level 4 autonomous driving trial in ID. BUZZ concept vehicles

May 19, 2021

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has partnered with Argo AI, a US-headquartered autonomous vehicle technology platform company that is developing the self-driving system. Argo will soon begin testing the self-driving technology on European roads, building on initial work being completed at a new test track next to the Munich airport.

The highly anticipated ID. BUZZ – the fully electric version of Volkswagen’s iconic Kombi – is due to commence production within the next two years. Utilising the ID. BUZZ as a test platform, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is the Volkswagen Group’s lead for autonomous driving and for exploring mobility offerings such as Mobility-as-a-Service and Transport-as-a-Service: areas in which Volkswagen is looking to shape the future of mobility.

Volkswagen states that soon customers in select cities will be able to have a self-driving vehicle take them to their destination. The delivery of goods and packages will also be made much easier through its autonomous driving service.

With development already underway, the first self-driving prototypes based on the future ID. BUZZ will commence operations in Munich over the next few months.

This marks a milestone in the Volkswagen Group's international collaboration, as part of which Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is facilitating the development of Level 4-capable autonomous driving technology for self-driving vans.

Volkswagen says light commercial vehicles are the logical place for utilising autonomous transportation of people and goods in the first instance.

“Our aim with the self-driving version of the ID. BUZZ is to facilitate commercial deployment of transport and delivery services starting in 2025”, said divisional director Christian Senger during a digital press conference.

“In select European cities, customers will be able to have a self-driving vehicle take them to their destination. The delivery of goods and packages will also be made much easier through our autonomous driving service.”

For the integration of the technology into the all-electric ID. BUZZ AD, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has partnered with Argo AI, a US-headquartered autonomous vehicle technology platform company that is developing the self-driving system.

Earlier this year, Argo integrated its self-driving system with a Volkswagen vehicle prototype to begin testing in Germany. Argo will soon begin testing the self-driving system on European roads later, building on initial work being completed at a new test track established next to the Munich airport.

Both Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Argo AI regard the use of a combination of sensors – including lidar, radar and cameras – essential for safe autonomous driving capability. Argo AI recently unveiled its new lidar sensor, Argo Lidar, which allows it to see objects from 400m away.

There are now concrete plans for the commercial use of the future technology for transport service providers.

Volkswagen Group subsidiary MOIA will in 2025 become the first user of the self-driving ID. BUZZ. MOIA has extensive experience in the field of mobility services and fleet management. Within a very short time, it has established Europe's largest all-electric ride-pooling service and provided mobility to millions of passengers. It is anticipated that Hamburg will be the first European city to offer an autonomous ride-pooling service with the Argo AI-tested ID. BUZZ.