First VW ID.Buzz AV prototype shown

An ID.Buzz autonomous vehicle prototype is at the Volkswagen Group’s “New Auto Night” event on the eve of the IAA Mobility 2021 on September 7-12 in Munich.

It’s one of the first five self-driving test vehicles of the fully electric ID. Buzz AD1 (autonomous driving) from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV), the series versions to be deployed in commercial mobility services such as ride-pooling service MOIA starting in 2025 in Hamburg.

Munich is also the European headquarters of partner Argo AI, the global autonomous driving technology company developing and testing the self-driving system, including maps, hardware, software, and cloud-support infrastructure that supplies the ID. Buzz AD1.

The ID.Buzz AD1 has been developed to relieve congestion and increase safety in cities with self-driving vehicles based on the ID. Buzz using a combination of cameras, lidar and radar sensors –  the Argo Lidar sitting high on the AV’s roof able to detect objects more than 400 metres away.

“Volkswagen Group is in a transformation from a vehicle manufacturer to a leading, software-driven global mobility provider,” its chief executive Dr Herbert Diess says.

“We are the company that is redefining mobility – with sustainable, connected and safe mobility solutions for future generations.”

Testing of the ID.Buzz AD1 is at the Argo AI development centre in Neufahrn, near Munich, and Argo also has a nine-hectare closed course near the Munich airport as well as a US test track.

“The ID.Buzz AD1 test fleet represents a milestone in our partnership with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles,” Argo AI founder and chief executive Bryan Salesky says.

“Building on our five years of development and learnings from our operations in large, complex US cities, we are excited to soon begin testing on the streets of Munich in preparation for the launch of the self-driving commercial ride-pooling service with MOIA.”

VWCV shows in the IAA environment how inner-city traffic can be relieved by ride-pooling and hw it’s safer thanks to the self-driving system:.

“An environment recognition system from six lidar, 11 radar and 14 cameras, distributed over the entire vehicle, can capture much more than any human driver can from the seat,” VWCV autonomous driving head Christian Senger says.

The brand has set up its own business unit for the development of autonomous driving and has acquired a stake in Argo AI.

MOIA, a Volkswagen subsidiary, has extensive experience in the field of mobility services and fleet management and within a short time has set up Europe’s largest, all-electric ride pooling service with drivers and has transported millions of passengers.

“We bring our expertise to the cooperation with Argo AI and VWCV and will develop an autonomous mobility service in addition to our regular service,” MOIA chief executive Robert Henrich says.

“Cities all over the world want to make their traffic more efficient and more climate-friendly,” he adds.

“Autonomous ride-pooling improves urban mobility, increases road safety and make cities more attractive.”