Uber Partners with Volkswagen for US Autonomous Driving Expansion

Uber Technologies Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with Volkswagen AG to deploy thousands of electric ID Buzz vans in the United States. This collaboration aims to expand Uber's autonomous driving services, with plans to begin road testing later this year and launch commercial operations in Los Angeles by next year. Initially, the vehicles will be equipped with human safety drivers, and the service will be rolled out in phases, subject to necessary regulatory approvals. The partnership is expected to expand to other major U.S. markets over the next decade.

This move comes as Uber shifts its focus towards autonomous driving, having previously abandoned its in-house development efforts. The company has since opted to partner with automakers and fleet operators, following significant investments in the field. One of its most notable collaborations is with Waymo, which currently offers autonomous driving services in Phoenix and is set to expand to Atlanta.

Uber has already secured agreements with over a dozen global partners to integrate autonomous driving technology into its ride-sharing, delivery, and freight services. This expansion coincides with a growing market presence, as competitors like Tesla and Waymo rapidly expand their autonomous vehicle fleets in major cities.

Volkswagen has been conducting tests of ID Buzz vans equipped with human operators in Austin. These vehicles utilize autonomous driving software developed by Mobileye Global Inc. For deployment on the Uber platform, Volkswagen will use its MOIA brand system.

In other regions of the U.S., Uber plans to collaborate with Avride to launch an autonomous driving service based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in Dallas later this year. Internationally, the company is working with Chinese firm Pony.ai to provide autonomous driving services in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Competitor Lyft has also announced plans to launch its first autonomous driving service in Atlanta this summer, in collaboration with Toyota-backed startup May Mobility. This indicates a broader industry trend towards partnerships and collaborations to advance autonomous driving technology.