From Jalopnik, June 21:
After several years of testing, the Volkswagen Group via its software subsidiary MOIA has announced that the ID Buzz AD, the autonomous driving version of its all-electric update to the classic VW Bus, is going into full production. The AD version sports a longer wheelbase and a higher roofline than its mere human-driven sibling, which helps it to fit in the 13 cameras, nine LiDARs, and five radars that will (hopefully) allow the car to drive without crashing into anybody. These are intended for large-fleet customers providing taxi services, either ones run by local governments or private companies.
MOIA has already lined up its first customer, the German city of Hamburg, which will provide the automated Buzz as a public transit option alongside traditional bus and subway services. If all goes well, after Hamburg MOIA "will bring sustainable, autonomous mobility to large-scale deployment in Europe and the U.S.," according to VW Group CEO Oliver Blume. Down the road, VW has also signed an agreement for rideshare juggernaut Uber to use the ID Buzz AD across America, starting with Los Angeles in 2026.The ID Buzz AD is the first vehicle in Germany to reach SAE International's threshold for Level 4 autonomous driving, meaning that the car can drive itself, with no need for a driver behind the wheel, within designated areas. This is the same level of autonomy as Google sister company Waymo provides for its Jaguar I-Pace fleet across the United States. Germany requires vehicles at this level to meet additional safety standards, such as with redundant braking and batteries, so presumably that extended wheelbase is helping fit some of that in.
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