WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen has announced plans to commence testing its autonomous driving ID. Buzz vehicles on the streets of Austin, Texas this month. This comes slightly over a year after the initial testing of the vehicles in Europe.
Initially, ten electric, self-driving vehicles will be deployed in Austin, with plans to expand the testing program to at least four other cities in the United States within the next three years.
Katrin Lohmann, Volkswagen's President of Autonomous Driving Mobility and Transport highlighted Austin as the first U.S. hub due to its reputation for embracing innovation and providing a favorable environment for autonomous vehicle testing.
To develop the autonomous driving technology for the vehicles, Europe's largest carmaker collaborated with software company Mobileye. This partnership followed Volkswagen's decision in October to withdraw its support for driverless startup Argo AI, which subsequently ceased operations.
While the commercial launch of the self-driving ID. Buzz is slated for 2026, Volkswagen clarified that the current development of the cars does not target ride-hailing purposes in the United States. However, the company's ride-sharing subsidiary, MOIA, is actively working on developing a robo-taxi fleet in Europe.
Identifying the ID. Buzz vehicles during testing will be relatively straightforward. The cars feature a distinctive boxy shape and a yellow honeycomb design on the exterior. Equipped with cameras, radar, and lidar technology, all vehicles will have a human driver onboard as testing progresses.
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