Sorry, Elon: Volkswagen's Robotaxi Just Beat Tesla to the Punch
Image Credit: MOIA.
It feels like for quite a while now we've been promised flying cars and robot butlers. But what have we gotten? Smartphones that are slightly too big for our pockets and air fryers. Air fryers I like, the phones - not so much. It seems that out of many companies promising the future, it is Volkswagen that has decided to finally deliver on at least one part of that futuristic dream, and it's done so with a delightful, retro-flavored twist.
You see, while a famous Texan company has been making very loud promises about self-driving cars for about a decade, VW has been quietly tinkering away in its German workshops. The result? The ID. Buzz AD. That's "AD" for Autonomous Driving, not "After Dark," though I suppose it could be both. It's an all-electric, self-driving version of their super-cute, nostalgia-inducing microbus, and it's not some far-off concept. It's real, it's ready, and it's heading our way.
Image Credit: MOIA.
Autonomous vehicle presentations usually involve a lot of dramatic music, sleek, soulless-looking pods, and a CEO in a black turtleneck making grand pronouncements. Volkswagen took a different route. They're essentially offering a "business in a box." You don't just buy the van; you get a whole ready-made ride-sharing service. You are actually buying a franchise, but instead of flipping burgers, you're running a fleet of charming, driverless electric buses.
This whole operation is a partnership with VW's mobility division, MOIA, which sounds like a cool aunt's name. They've been testing the ID. Buzz AD in Hamburg and Hanover, and now they're teaming up with none other than Uber to bring thousands of them to the U.S. The first stop? Los Angeles, of course. Where else would a groovy electric bus want to make its debut? They'll start testing with safety drivers later this year, with the goal of a full commercial launch early in 2026.
Image Credit: MOIA.
So, what makes this little bus tick? It's packed with more sensors than a teenager's bedroom has posters. 27 of them exactly: 13 cameras, 9 LiDAR sensors, and 5 radars. This ID. Buzz has its own set of superpowers, allowing it to see in every direction at once. All this information is fed into a brain from Mobileye, which helps the bus make smart decisions, even when things get hectic.
VW points out that this isn't your typical "driver assist" feature that nags you to keep your hands on the wheel. This is SAE Level 4 autonomy. In human terms, that means the van handles everything - steering, braking, navigating - within its designated area and conditions. The driver's seat? It's still there, for now, but during a public trip, it's just along for the ride. The front passenger seat has been cleverly replaced with a luggage rack - who needs a co-pilot when you have a computer that doesn't argue about the radio station?
Image Credit: MOIA.
Inside, it's designed for lounging. Four comfy passenger seats are arranged to create a more social, living-room-on-wheels kind of vibe. It's spacious, it's airy, and it's clearly built for riders, not drivers. It's about 16 feet long, so it's not a tiny pod, but it's still nimble enough for city streets. Your personal, electric chauffeur that never has a bad day or gets lost…
Under the floor sits a battery pack with around 77 kWh of usable energy, powering a rear-mounted motor. VW hasn't given exact specs for the AD model, but the consumer version it's based on puts out a respectable 282 horsepower. It won't be winning any drag races, with a 0-to-60 time likely around 8 seconds, but that's not the point, is it? The point is a smooth, serene, and slightly surreal journey to your destination.
Image Credit: MOIA.
The real genius here, I think, is the approach. Instead of trying to sell a hugely expensive and complex autonomous car to you and me, Volkswagen is selling a complete service to businesses like Uber. It's a clever way to get the technology on the road, prove its safety, and let us all get used to the idea of hopping into a car with no one at the helm.
While others are still talking a big game, Volkswagen is quietly and cheerfully getting on with it. They've taken an electric icon, infused it with some seriously smart tech, and created something that feels both futuristic and friendly. It's a gentle revolution, and I can't wait to summon my own little electric bus for a spin.
