Volkswagen and Uber are teaming up to deploy a fleet of thousands of all-electric, fully autonomous robotaxis.
The companies said in a press release Thursday that the ID Buzz AD minivans will launch in "multiple" US markets over the next decade, starting in Los Angeles next year. Testing is expected to begin later this year, the companies said.
Initially, however, the vehicles won't be fully autonomous. Human operators will be on board "to help refine the technology and ensure safety," the companies said in a joint statement.
The fleet will be equipped with sensors and software from MOIA, Volkswagen's autonomous mobility subsidiary.
Before the rollout can begin, the companies will need to secure the appropriate permits and clearances from the state of California.
The collaboration marks a major step in Uber's autonomous vehicle ambitions and Volkswagen's push to commercialize its self-driving platform. It also comes at a time when more self-driving taxis are hitting the road. Waymo, the driverless division of Google's parent company, Alphabet, continues to expand into new cities, from Austin to Tokyo.
Comeback for robotaxis
According to Michael Ramsey, an analyst at the research firm Gartner, the concept of robotaxis is starting to make a comeback.
"If you stretch your mind back 10 years ago, a lot of companies were pretty bullish about this technology being widespread by 2020," he told CNET. "That obviously didn't happen, but now the technology has improved and come down a lot in price. I expect that we begin to see true commercialization over the next year or two."
Meanwhile, Tesla is also working on both robotaxis and a so-called Robovan -- a larger autonomous vehicle designed to transport up to 20 passengers or carry cargo. Earlier this week, Tesla tweeted that it had recently completed over 1,500 trips and 15,000 miles using its full self-driving vehicles. Its supervised ride-hailing service is already live for select employees in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area. On its earnings call Tuesday, the company said it plans to expand the service to the public in Austin as early as June.
It's unclear which other markets Volkswagen and Uber are targeting. The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
