Uber Technologies has announced plans to roll out thousands of Volkswagen’s fully autonomous electric vans across multiple US markets over the next decade. The partnership between Uber and Volkswagen’s autonomous mobility subsidiary, VWADMT (Volkswagen Group of America Inc.’s autonomous mobility subsidiary), will see the first commercial deployment in Los Angeles in 2026. Before the rollout, Uber will begin testing Volkswagen’s autonomous electric vans later in 2025, with human safety operators onboard to monitor the vehicles. The operation will be subject to regulatory approvals before the fleet is fully operational on Uber’s ride-hailing platform. Users will be able to book autonomous rides through the existing Uber app, where Volkswagen’s electric vans will be visible alongside human-driven vehicles. The electric vans are based on Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz model, modified for autonomous driving with a system that includes lidar, radar, and camera sensors to detect surroundings. MOIA, a mobility brand under Volkswagen AG, is providing the technology for system operations and fleet management. The collaboration marks Volkswagen’s first deployment of autonomous vehicles for ride-hailing operations across the US, with plans to expand to additional cities depending on technical performance, safety validation, and regulatory conditions.
