Volkswagen has unveiled plans to partner with ride-hailing giant Uber to build a fleet of autonomous electric vehicles for use across the United States. Over the next ten years, thousands of robotaxis are expected to be deployed, marking a major move by both companies into the competitive self-driving vehicle market.
The project will use VW’s ID.Buzz minibuses, fitted with self-driving technology developed by VW’s mobility subsidiary, Moia. Customers will be able to hail the autonomous vans through Uber’s app, offering a seamless integration into the platform many already use.
Test drives are scheduled to begin by the end of 2025, with commercial rides launching in 2026, starting in Los Angeles. The collaboration will be handled through Volkswagen ADMT LLC, alongside Moia and Uber.
Volkswagen and Uber’s partnership follows the success of Waymo, the Google subsidiary that has operated robotaxis in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. Waymo plans to expand into additional cities this year.
The robotaxi market is heating up as other companies also race to establish dominance. Tesla plans to launch its own self-driving vehicle, the Cybercab, beginning in 2026. Meanwhile, General Motors was forced to shut down its Cruise project at the end of 2024 after losing $10 billion, highlighting the challenges and risks of the autonomous transport sector.
Despite the fierce competition, Volkswagen and Uber are betting on the combination of trusted automotive engineering and a massive ride-hailing network to carve out a substantial share of the future robotaxi industry.
