The future of autonomous driving is taking shape through a groundbreaking collaboration between Volkswagen ADMT GmbH, a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, and Israeli technology company Mobileye Global Inc.
Volkswagen ADMT and Mobileye Global Inc. have joined forces in a groundbreaking step towards the future of mobility. This collaboration marks a key moment in the automotive industry as it paves the way for the launch of the first fully autonomous commercial vehicle that meets the Level 4 standard. This historic development promises to revolutionize how we think about transportation and mobility, both in Europe and the United States.
The ID. Buzz AD, a special version of Volkswagen's iconic van, is at the center of this innovative venture. The fully electric and autonomously driving commercial vehicle has been in development since 2021 and is powered by an advanced Self-Driving System (SDS). This system, a product of collaboration with Mobileye, a leading Israeli technology company, combines cutting-edge software and hardware components, including powerful computers, cameras, lidar and radar units. This technology secures the ID. Buzz AD is able to navigate independently within defined urban areas.
Christian Senger, Member of the Board of Directors at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, emphasizes the importance of collaboration with strong partners to implement autonomous shuttles on a large scale. “We are developing the first fully autonomous driving model for series production using Mobileye's digital driver,” says Senger. This collaboration not only promotes the integration and optimization of automated driving systems within the Volkswagen group, but also contributes to reducing costs and facilitating economies of scale.
After an extensive pilot phase, with road tests in Germany and the United States, these two titans of industry are joining forces to usher in a new era of mobility.
The ID. Buzz AD, which is expected to be deployed in mobility and transport services from 2026, promises to play a key role in the future of autonomous freight transport. The rise of e-commerce has led to explosive growth in the logistics market and an increasing shortage of drivers, putting pressure on delivery capacity. Autonomous vehicles, such as the ID. Buzz AD, provide a sustainable solution to these challenges by ensuring long-term delivery capacity and contributing to the growth of the freight delivery market.
Mobileye, world leader in autonomous driving technology, plays a crucial role in this collaboration. The company, which specializes in computerized detection, machine learning, data analysis, localization and mapping, uses data from hundreds of millions of vehicles. Mobileye's technology enables vehicles to accurately sense and interpret the world around them, which is essential for the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles.
This collaboration between Volkswagen ADMT and Mobileye represents a significant step forward in realizing autonomous driving on a large scale. It not only promises to transform the way we think about personal and freight transportation, but also sets a new standard for innovation and collaboration in the automotive industry.
