It’s ugly but it will get itself there…
The first self-driving prototypes based on the future Volkswagen ID. BUZZ will begin operations in Munich this summer. It marks a milestone in the Group’s international collaboration, part of which sees Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) facilitating the development of Level 4-capable autonomous driving technology* for self-driving vans. ID. BUZZ, a VW Microbus-like EV, will arrive at dealerships after a compact four-door ID. model in 2022. Volkswagen is mainly targeting markets in North America, Europe and China with both the ID. BUZZ and the ID. family overall.
Current conventional automaker wisdom (wishdom?) has is that light commercial vehicles are the first, logical place for using autonomous transportation of people and goods. “Our aim with the self-driving version of the ID. BUZZ is to ease commercial deployment of transport and delivery services starting in 2025,” said divisional director Christian Senger during a digital press conference. VW Mobility service provider MOIA will first launch autonomous service in Hamburg, Germany.
For the integration of the technology into the all-electric ID. BUZZ AD, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has started a dedicated business section and partnered with Argo AI, the US-headquartered autonomous vehicle technology platform company that is developing the self-driving system.
Earlier this year, Argo integrated its self-driving system with a Volkswagen vehicle prototype to begin testing in Germany. We believe Argo AI has the largest urban self-driving testing footprint, with operations in six cities in the United States,” said. Bryan Salesky, Founder and CEO, Argo AI. “We are excited to begin testing our self-driving system on European roads later this year, building on the initial work we’re doing now at a new test track we established next to the Munich airport.”
The very small Argo AI team of specialists in robotics and artificial intelligence is led by founders Bryan Salesky, CEO, and Peter Rander, COO. Both are alumni of Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center and former heads of the self-driving car teams of Google and Uber, respectively. They are up against some industry giants pursuing autonomous vehicles. (Toyota Expands Autonomous Vehicle Program with Jaybridge Robotics Software People for Crash-Free Driving, Honda Has Sophisticated Language Analysis Technologies, Autoliv: Learning Intelligent Vehicle to Debut at CES Tomorrow, NHTSA – Artificial Intelligence is ‘Driver’ in Autonomous Cars, Toyota Mobility Services Via Car Sharing Firm Getaround, Nissan to Start Autonomous Vehicle Tests in London)
Both Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Argo AI regard the use of a combination of sensors – including lidar, radar and cameras – essential for safe autonomous driving capability. Argo AI recently unveiled its new lidar sensor, Argo lidar, which allows it – it’s claimed – to see objects from 400 meters away. Argo AI’s proprietary Geiger-mode lidar has the ability to detect the smallest particle of light – a single photon, which is key to sensing objects with low reflectivity. “This technology will be integrated in the self-driving system of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ autonomous driving vehicles,” Salesky said..
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Volkswagen, Argo AI to Start Autonomous Driving Tests
It’s ugly but it will get itself there…
The first self-driving prototypes based on the future Volkswagen ID. BUZZ will begin operations in Munich this summer. It marks a milestone in the Group’s international collaboration, part of which sees Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) facilitating the development of Level 4-capable autonomous driving technology* for self-driving vans. ID. BUZZ, a VW Microbus-like EV, will arrive at dealerships after a compact four-door ID. model in 2022. Volkswagen is mainly targeting markets in North America, Europe and China with both the ID. BUZZ and the ID. family overall.
Current conventional automaker wisdom (wishdom?) has is that light commercial vehicles are the first, logical place for using autonomous transportation of people and goods. “Our aim with the self-driving version of the ID. BUZZ is to ease commercial deployment of transport and delivery services starting in 2025,” said divisional director Christian Senger during a digital press conference. VW Mobility service provider MOIA will first launch autonomous service in Hamburg, Germany.
For the integration of the technology into the all-electric ID. BUZZ AD, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has started a dedicated business section and partnered with Argo AI, the US-headquartered autonomous vehicle technology platform company that is developing the self-driving system.
Earlier this year, Argo integrated its self-driving system with a Volkswagen vehicle prototype to begin testing in Germany. We believe Argo AI has the largest urban self-driving testing footprint, with operations in six cities in the United States,” said. Bryan Salesky, Founder and CEO, Argo AI. “We are excited to begin testing our self-driving system on European roads later this year, building on the initial work we’re doing now at a new test track we established next to the Munich airport.”
The very small Argo AI team of specialists in robotics and artificial intelligence is led by founders Bryan Salesky, CEO, and Peter Rander, COO. Both are alumni of Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center and former heads of the self-driving car teams of Google and Uber, respectively. They are up against some industry giants pursuing autonomous vehicles. (Toyota Expands Autonomous Vehicle Program with Jaybridge Robotics Software People for Crash-Free Driving, Honda Has Sophisticated Language Analysis Technologies, Autoliv: Learning Intelligent Vehicle to Debut at CES Tomorrow, NHTSA – Artificial Intelligence is ‘Driver’ in Autonomous Cars, Toyota Mobility Services Via Car Sharing Firm Getaround, Nissan to Start Autonomous Vehicle Tests in London)
Both Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Argo AI regard the use of a combination of sensors – including lidar, radar and cameras – essential for safe autonomous driving capability. Argo AI recently unveiled its new lidar sensor, Argo lidar, which allows it – it’s claimed – to see objects from 400 meters away. Argo AI’s proprietary Geiger-mode lidar has the ability to detect the smallest particle of light – a single photon, which is key to sensing objects with low reflectivity. “This technology will be integrated in the self-driving system of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ autonomous driving vehicles,” Salesky said..
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.