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Last Updated on: 10th May 2025, 01:10 am
Well, it’s a week of Uber robotaxi coverage! After covering Uber’s quite successful partnership with robotaxi tech company Waymo, and Uber’s fast-growing partnership with robotaxi tech company WeRide, I just noticed other recent robotaxi news concerning the ride-hailing platform. Uber is partnering with Volkswagen — yes, Volkswagen — to launch autonomous ID. Buzzes.
“Volkswagen Group of America Inc.’s autonomous mobility subsidiary Volkswagen ADMT, LLC, and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) today announced a strategic partnership to deploy a fleet of thousands of all-electric, fully autonomous ID. Buzz AD vehicles within multiple U.S. markets over the next decade, starting in Los Angeles,” Volkswagen wrote last month.
They haven’t begun testing yet, but that’s supposed to happen in 2025, and then commercial service is supposed to launch in Los Angeles in 2026. Presumably, they want to be rolling at a large scale by the time the Olympics roll around in 2028.
“MOIA, a Volkswagen AG autonomous mobility brand, will provide its integrated solution for autonomous driving which includes the ID. Buzz AD and software-based system for the deployment on the Uber platform.” Yes, we don’t hear about MOIA much these days, but the autonomous arm of Volkswagen Group is still around and is apparently working its magic well enough that Uber is comfortable joining a partnership using its tech.
“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the advancement of autonomous mobility, and highlights both Volkswagen’s and Uber’s shared dedication to building the future of transportation,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “We can’t wait to launch in Los Angeles late next year.”
“Volkswagen believes that mobility is transformational. Our partnership with Uber is the next step for us to realize this vision and unleash the potential of autonomous mobility,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “Through our work with Uber, we’ll introduce the ID. Buzz, the reimagined version of the iconic Microbus in all-electric form, to a growing number of riders in the years to come.”
Regarding the ID. Buzz, we recently got a good owner review from a reader, and I also interviewed a few new owners on video after ambushing them at an Electrify America charging station. Check out those articles if you missed them for a closer look at the ID. Buzz and why it’s so lovable. Seeing a ton of these modern, electric hippie vans all over the city would be a fun, exciting thing. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long for them to get from Los Angeles to Florida…. (Though, I do like the blue, green, and yellow consumer versions of the ID. Buzz much, much more than the black Uber version pictured above. To be honest, the colors are a big part of what I love about this new minivan! I know — color is a superficial reason to love a vehicle model, but colors matter, and certain model-color combinations are critical to the aesthetic appeal and popularity of those models. Volkswagen is clearly playing the color card very strongly and enthusiastically with this model, as you can see in some of the commercials it has been producing for the Buzz.)
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