Autonomous driving is coming. Following an extensive road testing pilot phase in Germany and the USA, Volkswagen ADMT GmbH, a Volkswagen AG organization, is announcing a cooperation agreement with the Israeli technology company Mobileye Global Inc. Mobileye will develop and supply software, hardware components and digital maps for the self-driving ID. Buzz AD.
The main part of the agreement covers delivery and use of a self-driving system (SDS) for a special version of the ID. Buzz, which has been under development for autonomous driving since 2021. It corresponds to the Level 4 definition of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), in which the autonomous vehicle operates self-driving in a defined area such as a city. The SDS is comprised of various software and hardware components, including two independent high-performance computers as well as 13 cameras, nine lidar and five radar units, each system is capable of producing 360 degree surroundings. A constant online connection provides the autonomous vehicles with swarm data from other road users about the traffic situation while updating the three-dimensional maps for safe, reliable, and efficient vehicle control.
“Bringing autonomous shuttles on the road in large quantities requires cooperation from strong partners,” says Christian Senger, member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, responsible for Autonomous Driving, Mobility and Transport (ADMT): “We are developing the first fully autonomous large-scale production vehicle, using Mobileye’s digital driver.” The partnership takes advantage of the automated driving system synergies in the Volkswagen group; depending on the expansion level, modules can be shared across SAE levels from 2+ to 4 driving down cost and facilitating the ability to scale.
The aim of Volkswagen ADMT is to develop the fully electric autonomous ID. Buzz AD for the use in mobility and transport services starting in 2026.
The Volkswagen ADMT positions itself as provider of intelligent fleets and the required software technologies. This also includes intelligent fleet control: The Volkswagen Group company MOIA also brings its practical know-how into the development of our product, operating Europe’s largest private ride pooling service in Hamburg since 2019, having transporting more than ten million passengers to date.
Another use case for self-driving vehicles is the transport of packages. The logistics market has grown significantly in recent years due to the increasing share of e-commerce. Delivery capacity is already one of the biggest challenges the industry is facing due to the driver shortage. Autonomous transport offers a possible solution to these shortages by ensuring long-term delivery capability and gives Volkswagen ADMT the chance to participate in the growing goods delivery market. Volkswagen ADMT is working intensively on autonomous freight transport for various industries as a second important pillar alongside autonomous passenger transport. In the future, autonomous vehicles shall be able to drive to certain loading and unloading stations or to customer addresses independently.
Autonomous vehicles for mobility and transportation services can help solve the ongoing driver shortage while robo-shuttles promote both the quality of life and the economic development of cities.