The Volkswagen Group announced last week a broad partnership with Mobileye, which covers the use of the Israeli company’s autonomous technology for a robotaxi service. VW Group will also rely on Mobileye technology for automated driver assistance features that will be used across several of its brands. including at Porsche.
Although driver assistance features are only rated at Level 2 in the SAE scale of autonomous driving capability, meaning they will still require the driver to monitor the road and be ready to resume control when requested, Mobileye will also provide the VW Group with an autonomous driving system rated at Level 4 on the SAE scale.
Level 4 means a system that can operate for long periods without a human driver, although such systems are typically limited to pre-mapped areas. Level 5 is the ultimate goal, that is, a system that can operate at the same level as a human being.
Mobileye’s Level 4 system consists of multiple software and hardware components, including two independent high-performance computers, as well as 13 cameras, nine lidar and five radar sensors. The system also has a cloud connection, where it constantly collects swarm data from other road users.
VW Group will initially integrate Mobileye’s Level 4 system into specially prepared systems Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric vans which will be used for a robotaxi service. The VW Group has testing prototypes for robotaxi service in Hamburg, Germany, and Austin, Texas, and anticipates the first commercial service starting in 2026. The automaker said it is also considering the use of autonomous vehicles for delivery services.
For the US, the VW Group does not plan to offer its own robotaxi service. Instead, the automaker only wants to offer autonomous vans and fleet management and remote guidance services to other companies specializing in mobility. VW Group didn’t name any companies, but its autonomous vans could be used in fleets operated by companies like Uber and Lyft.
Separately, the VW Group is developing autonomous driving technology through its software division Cariad and supplier Bosch for private cars. The technology will be available for all VW Group brands, but the timing is uncertain.
VW Group was previously working with American autonomous technology startup Argo AI on the robotaxi service. But the initialization was closed in 2022 after its two main financiers, VW Group and Ford, stopped financing it.