Volkswagen will begin testing its self-driving microbuses in Los Angeles ahead of Uber’s launch

Volkswagen partners MOIA America and Uber have begun testing autonomous microbuses in Los Angeles, companies he announced on Wednesdaythe latest step as they plan to launch a robotaxi service by the end of 2026.

A year ago, MOIA America and Uber unveiled plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service – using Volkswagen’s autonomous models. electricity ID. Buzz minivan – in several US cities over the next decade. Los Angeles is the first city on the list.

Testing will begin in the next few weeks with approximately 10 independent IDs. Buzz Cars in Los Angeles, according to the company. The production version of the driverless car seats four people.

Paul DeLong, president of marketing at MOIA America, called Los Angeles the natural market to introduce the company’s autonomous vehicles to mobility, “based on a long history of changing the nature of the automobile and adopting new mobility technologies.”

Since last year’s announcement, MOIA America and Uber have established a joint location in Los Angeles for daily operations. Test fleets are limited at the moment, but Volkswagen says it will eventually reach more than 100 autonomous ID vehicles. Buzz Cars. The vehicles have started to be installed by the drivers for the safety of the people who have them. Pilotless operations are expected to begin in 2027, the company said.

Sascha Meyer, head of marketing at Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility, said the next phase shows “the strong acceleration of the process of bringing autonomous mobility to the world.”

The MOIA America name is new to Volkswagen vehicles in the US, known as Volkswagen ADMT until early 2026. in 2018 at TechCrunch Disrupt Londonand is well-known in Europe, where it operates autonomous vehicles and tests autonomous vehicles in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, and Oslo. The name change is supposed to reflect the connection between the US and European institutions.

MOIA America still has to go through a long regulatory process before it can deploy commercial robotaxi services — meaning self-driving cars that pay people for rides — in California. The company will need permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which oversees the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in the state. It will also require a boarding permit from the California Public Utilities Commission.

Uber, right now, is spread his bets for moving vehicles only. The company has partnerships with 25 companies that are using autonomous vehicle technology for delivery, drones, ride-hailing, and ride-hailing. In the US, its most visible partnership is Waymo. But the company has taken its AV ambitions to other markets, closing deals with Chinese companies to deploy robotaxis in Europe and the Middle East, as well as UK-based startups. Wave.

Uber recently made an agreement with Rivian to buy 10,000 autonomous R2 robotaxis ahead of the planned release in San Francisco and Miami in 2028. Under the agreement, Uber is making an initial investment of $ 300 million in Rivian.