MOIA, Volkswagen Group’s autonomous ride-sharing subsidiary, has unveiled the series production version of the VW ID. Buzz AD. The self-driving electric minivan is now available for sale to mobility providers and comes complete with all necessary software solutions and operator assistance.
MOIA was founded in 2016 as part of Volkswagen’s ADMT (Autonomous Driving Mobility and Transport) division and has been developing driverless mobility technology ever since. The company announced a partnership with Uber earlier this year, delivering thousands of autonomous vehicles for the American ride-hailing service. And now, the production-ready vehicles have been unveiled.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD with 27 sensors for self-driving
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD is instantly recognizable as a variant of the existing electric minibus, but with some interesting attachments. In total, the ID. Buzz AD is equipped with 27 sensors, including 13 cameras, 9 LiDARs, and five radars. Mobileye develops the self-driving system, while MOIA has developed its own Autonomous Driving Mobility as a Service (AD MaaS) Ecosystem Platform.
The vehicles are SAE Level 4 automated, meaning that remote supervision can be used to ensure safe handling of challenging traffic situations or emergency interventions. AI is also used for fleet management, basic passenger assistance, and integration into existing booking apps.
MOIA offers a comprehensive self-driving vehicle solution to its customers, comprising the vehicles themselves, the software platform, and ‘Operator Enablement’, which provides support to operators of autonomous vehicle fleets, from simulation and training to deployment and live monitoring in day-to-day operations.
“In Hamburg and the US from 2026”
“With our fully autonomous complete solution, we are creating a mobility offering that is unique in this form: cities, municipalities, and fleet operators can provide autonomous mobility for all simply and reliably. This positions the Volkswagen Group among the frontrunners in a multi-billion dollar global growth market,” says Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group.
“Hamburg is our starting point. Beginning in 2026, we will bring sustainable, autonomous mobility to large-scale deployment in Europe and the US, another milestone on our path to becoming a global technology driver in the automotive industry.”
Beating Tesla to the punch?
In the US, MOIA will compete with Tesla, which has begun rolling out its autonomous vehicle service in Austin, Texas, near Tesla’s headquarters. From next year, Tesla plans to introduce the two-seater Cybercab, with the more spacious Robovan following later – although Tesla’s timelines have never been exceptionally reliable.
