Volkswagen and Uber begin testing autonomous ID. Buzz microbuses in Los Angeles

Last week, Volkswagen’s autonomous mobility subsidiary, MOIA America, and Uber announced the start of on-road validation testing for a fleet of self-driving ID. Buzz vehicles, marking a critical milestone in their strategic partnership.

The initial rollout features roughly 10 all-electric ID. Buzz AD (Autonomous Driving) vehicles navigating the complex traffic of Los Angeles. While the goal is full autonomy, the current phase includes several safety mandates:

• Human supervisors: Every vehicle is staffed by a highly trained safety operator prepared to take control at any moment.

• Sensor sophistication: Each microbus is equipped with a Level 4 autonomous stack developed with Mobileye, featuring 13 cameras, nine LiDAR units, and five radar sensors.

• Operational hub: The companies have opened a dedicated joint operations facility in Los Angeles to manage fleet maintenance and data processing.

MOIA plans to scale this test fleet to more than 100 vehicles as it works through California’s regulatory requirements.

The roadmap to "driverless"

The partnership aims to transform ride-hailing into a purpose-built, group-pooling experience. Unlike standard robotaxis, the ID. Buzz is configured to seat four to six passengers comfortably, utilizing its iconic design for practical urban transit.

The rollout follows an ambitious multi-year timeline:

• Late 2026: Commercial rides are scheduled to launch directly within the Uber app for Los Angeles residents, still featuring human safety operators.

• 2027: The companies target the transition to fully driverless operations, removing the safety driver entirely.

• Long-term: Following the LA debut, the partnership plans to deploy thousands of autonomous vans across additional U.S. markets over the next decade.

A global mobility strategy

The launch in Los Angeles leverages MOIA’s extensive experience in Europe, where its ride-pooling service has already transported over 10 million passengers. By rebranding its U.S. autonomous unit (formerly Volkswagen ADMT) to MOIA America earlier this year, Volkswagen is signaling a unified global push into autonomous "Mobility-as-a-Service."

"Los Angeles is a natural market to introduce MOIA's autonomous vehicles," said Paul DeLong, President of Commercialization at MOIA America. "Together with Uber, we’re bringing our expertise onto a platform millions of riders already use and trust."

"This milestone marks an important step forward," added Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility. "We are setting the foundation to bring autonomous rides to more riders in Los Angeles and, over time, cities around the world."