Volkswagen and Uber inked a partnership to offer robotaxi service on the Uber app via thousands of the automaker’s ID. Buzz vans, the companies announced April 24.
Testing with human operators is set to begin later this year. The companies anticipate launching the service in Los Angeles in 2026 before expanding to other U.S. locations over the next decade.
Volkswagen’s all-electric ID. Buzz, a retro-styled minivan with a design based on the classic Volkswagen bus, can seat up to seven passengers. It was first available for sale in the U.S. in 2024.
Volkswagen’s ride pool and autonomous mobility arm, MOIA, will be responsible for the van’s self-driving technology and the software to deploy the vehicles on the Uber platform. The subsidiary has been developing and testing autonomous ride pool service in Hamburg, Germany, since 2021.
Automakers have increasingly tapped strategic partnerships such as the one between Volkswagen and Uber to expedite deployment of autonomous technology.
For example, robotaxi company Waymo has partnered with Jaguar to expand its self-driving ride hail service in a handful of U.S. cities and it recently announced a partnership with Hyundai to install fully autonomous driving technology in the Ioniq 5. And in August 2024, General Motors announced a partnership with Uber through GM’s robotaxi subsidiary Cruise—before the automaker stopped funding Cruise in December 2024, citing an “increasingly competitive robotaxi market” and a new focus on autonomous driving for personal vehicles.
“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer—we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility, said in a statement. He added that Volkswagen combines “high-volume manufacturing expertise with cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of urban mobility needs.”
With thousands of ID. Buzz vans on U.S. city streets, the partnership could also draw more customers to the ride hailing service as well as buyers for VW’s EV microbus.
“Through our work with Uber, we’ll introduce the ID. Buzz, the reimagined version of the iconic Microbus in all-electric form, to a growing number of riders in the years to come,” said Kjell Gruner, Volkswagen Group of America president and CEO.
