Volkswagen is the first manufacturer to greenlight the development of an autonomous Level 4 service vehicle based on the ID. Buzz platform and intended for large-scale production.
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Volkswagen ADMT (Autonomous Driving, Mobility and Transport) GmbH is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen AG group and will oversee the development of a Level 4 service vehicle dubbed the ID. Buzz AD. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, Level 4 driving automation is defined as a driving system in which the automated driving features are responsible for vehicle operations and do not require human intervention. These automated driving features would be able to drive a vehicle under specific conditions and will not operate unless all conditions are met. Level 4 of driving automation is suitable for use for specific operations with examples including local driverless taxi services in cities, which may result in pedals and a steering wheel not being installed.
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“We are developing the first fully autonomous large-scale production vehicle, using Mobileye’s digital driver. Bringing autonomous shuttles on the road in large quantities requires cooperation from strong partners.” – Christian Senger, member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, responsible for Autonomous Driving, Mobility and Transport.
Volkswagen ADMT will be collaborating with Israeli technology firm Mobileye Global Inc. Mobileye is one of the leading suppliers of autonomous driving technologies and will develop and supply software, hardware components, and digital maps underpinning the self-driving ID. Buzz AD. The self-driving system (SDS) comprises a medley of several software and hardware components, including two independent high-performance computers, 13 cameras, nine lidar units, and five radar units. The ID. Buzz AD will leverage its constant online connection with swarm data from other road users. This allows the vehicle to assess the traffic conditions and update three-dimensional maps to achieve safe, reliable and efficient vehicle control.
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The ID. Buzz AD is a prototype model that has been in development since 2021. The self-driving offshoot of the ID. Buzz has undergone its pilot phase testing in Germany and the USA and is nearly ready for production. Volkswagen ADMT intends to complete the development of the all-electric ID. Buzz AD for full implementation into mobility and transport services from 2026.
