Volkswagen has announced that it is planning to bring autonomous driving technology to its cars, with the firm’s ID range of electric vehicles the first to benefit from these capabilities.
The new ID Buzz, which is a small van-like model which takes inspiration from classic Volkswagen campers, looks set to be the first to get this technology.
Volkswagen has collaborated with Ford to invest in autonomous technology company Argo AI to further the development of a self-driving vehicle platform. The companies expect to start real-world testing in Germany this year, with plans to bring the technology to public roads in 2025.
Christian Senger, head of autonomous driving at Volkswagen, said:
This year, for the first time, we are conducting field trials in Germany, in which the self-driving system by Argo AI will be used in a version of the future ID Buzz by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The aim is to develop a ride-hailing and pooling concept similar to what [ride-sharing service] MOIA offers today. In the middle of this decade, our customers will then have the opportunity to be taken to their destination in selected cities with autonomous vehicles.
Volkswagen Group is also investing in Car.Software Organisation projects, which will work alongside and separately from the wider Argo AI research in order to develop new driver assistance systems for passenger cars.