Moia is launching a pilot autonomous shuttle service using Volkswagen's ID. Buzz vans.
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Volkswagen's Moia is launching a pilot robotaxi service in Germany, marking another major automaker stepping deeper into the autonomous mobility arena.Moia announced Wednesday that select, preregistered Hamburg residents can now book rides in a self-driving Volkswagen ID. Buzz van through the company's app. Up to five vehicles will operate at initial launch, with the fleet expected to expand to as many as 10 cars, a Moia spokesperson told Business Insider.Each car will have a trained safety monitor behind the wheel who can intervene when necessary. The spokesperson said Moai expects future driverless operations to be handled by the company's remote operations center.The pilot will function more like an autonomous shuttle — or a shared robotaxi — than a private ride like those offered by Alphabet's Waymo. Passengers traveling in the same direction may share a vehicle, while pickups and drop-offs will take place at designated virtual stops.The service will cover about 4 square miles within Hamburg. It will gradually expand to around 14 square miles, the spokesperson said."Registration was open to anyone with the Moia app, and several thousand people have already joined the waiting list," the Moia spokesperson said. "The strong interest highlights the demand for autonomous mobility in Hamburg."Rides will be free during the pilot. Moia said passengers will also eventually be able to book the autonomous vehicles through Hamburg's hvv switch public transit app.
