VW'S SELF-DRIVING ELECTRIC VAN: WHAT CAN IT DO AND WHEN IS IT COMING?
Volkswagen has unveiled its first fully autonomous production vehicle. In Hamburg, Europe’s largest carmaker presented the production version of its self-driving electric van, the ID Buzz AD (short for autonomous driving).
It is set to be deployed for the first time in 2026, initially in Hamburg and Los Angeles, with other cities to follow.
"This positions the Volkswagen Group among the leaders in a multi-billion-dollar global growth market," said VW Group chief executive Oliver Blume at the world premiere in Hamburg. "From 2026, we will make sustainable, autonomous mobility available on a large scale in Europe and the US."
According to Volkswagen, this is the first fully autonomous production vehicle manufactured in Europe. It will be produced at the VW Commercial Vehicles plant in Hanover, Germany.
"And none of this is designed for small-scale production," said Christian Senger, a board member at VW Commercial Vehicles responsible for autonomous driving. He added that the aim is to produce large quantities. "We believe we can be the leading provider in Europe."
More than 10,000 vehicles planned
Volkswagen plans to deliver well over 10,000 units of the first generation of the ID Buzz AD. The first 1,000 vehicles are expected to hit the roads by the end of 2027.
Uber, which entered into a partnership with Volkswagen in the US in April, plans to purchase up to 10,000 vehicles over the next 10 years, according to Senger.
In Hamburg, where regular operations were initially expected to begin in 2026, the launch is now planned for 2027, where the fleet is set to grow to 500 self-driving electric vans, says Sascha Meyer from Moia, Volkswagen’s ride-pooling subsidiary, which operates the vehicles in Hamburg. Test drives with prototypes have been taking place there since 2023.
Driverless from 2027
Volkswagen aims to obtain approval for driverless operations in Europe and the US by the end of 2026. After that, the currently required safety driver could be eliminated. According to the company, this would mark the first time in Europe that such approval for Level 4 autonomous driving is granted.
The vehicle is equipped with 13 cameras, nine so-called lidars, and five radars, which allow it to monitor its surroundings in real time.
It can drive fully autonomously at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Compared to the prototype previously used for testing, the production version is slightly larger in length and height and features four passenger seats instead of three.
Test drives in four cities
Test drives with the prototype have been ongoing since 2021 in Munich, and later in Hamburg, Austin, and Oslo. Currently, Volkswagen reports that 100 test vehicles are in operation, which have collectively covered more than 600,000 kilometres.
Volkswagen sees large fleet operators, such as public transport companies, as its primary customers. In Hamburg and Berlin, the company is collaborating with the local public transport authorities. "And there will be more contracts with customers," said Senger. "We are confident that by 2027, we will have more than just Hamburg in Germany."
Senger acknowledged that Volkswagen is unlikely to make money from this initially. However, he said that autonomous driving is a lucrative future market that promises significantly higher profits than the traditional car business.
"This is precisely the great opportunity to create a future prospect for the Volkswagen Group."
No sales to private customers
Sadly for all those who have daydreamed of a self-driving camper van bringing families to their holidays as they sleep, Volkswagen has ruled out selling the model to private customers.
The rental operating area is also being limited and in Hamburg it won't even extend to the city limits. Additionally, the company's control centre must be able to intervene at any time. For these reasons, the ID Buzz AD is not suitable as a private car, Senger says.
The price would also likely deter customers. While the theoretical purchase price is currently speculative, Senger admitted that the vehicle would cost at least a low six-figure sum in euros.