Volkswagen Group’s autonomous mobility company MOIA has launched its first public robotaxi pilot in Hamburg, marking a significant step towards deploying AI-powered autonomous transport at scale across Europe.
The pilot allows selected residents who pre-registered through the MOIA app to book free journeys in an autonomous Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric van.
Initially, five vehicles are in service, with the fleet expected to double to ten during the pilot.
Rather than operating as a conventional robotaxi service, MOIA’s offering functions as an autonomous ridepooling system. Passengers travelling in similar directions share journeys between designated pick-up and drop-off points, reflecting the company’s long-term focus on complementing existing public transport networks.
Every vehicle carries a trained safety operator who can intervene whenever necessary as the technology continues to be validated in real-world traffic.
“This new phase marks an important milestone for our company,” Sascha Meyer, CEO of MOIA, told IZON.
“For the first time, our test riders in Hamburg are experiencing autonomous mobility in the unpredictable daily life of a metropolis, not in a controlled environment. We’re demonstrating how our European solution can be gradually introduced into urban centres around the world while gathering real-world insights to refine our technology and service.”
Hamburg has become MOIA’s primary test hub as the company builds what it describes as a turnkey autonomous mobility platform for fleet operators. The platform combines the ID. Buzz AD vehicle with Mobileye’s self-driving technology, fleet management software and operational tools designed to support commercial autonomous services.
The pilot forms part of Germany’s federally funded ALIKE project, which runs until mid-2027 and is investigating how autonomous, on-demand ridepooling can integrate with urban public transport.
Removing the onboard safety operator will depend on regulatory approval. MOIA is targeting EU type approval for the fully autonomous ID. Buzz AD in 2027, paving the way for commercial driverless operations.
Beyond Hamburg, the company has 100 ID. Buzz AD vehicles in test programmes across seven cities: Hamburg, Berlin, Munich and Oslo in Europe, alongside Los Angeles, Orlando and Austin in the US. Collectively, the fleet has completed more than one million kilometres of autonomous road testing.
MOIA is also preparing for commercial expansion. Pre-series production of the ID. Buzz AD has already begun at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ Hanover plant, with output expected to increase to around 500 vehicles during the year.
The Hamburg launch comes as competition in autonomous mobility continues to intensify, with European manufacturers seeking to establish locally developed alternatives to US and Chinese robotaxi platforms. For MOIA, the pilot is less about launching a commercial ride-hailing service today than validating the physical AI, operational software and fleet infrastructure required to scale autonomous transport in the years ahead.
