Vay is hitting the accelerator on its driverless car-sharing service in Las Vegas.
The Berlin-based startup, which makes use of teleoperations know-how that lets people pilot empty autos to prospects, has been working a small industrial fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro autos in sure components of Las Vegas since January 2024.
When prospects open the Vay app and hail a automotive, it arrives with out a human behind the wheel. As soon as the Vay car arrives, the shopper hops in and takes over guide management of the automotive. Clients drive themselves to their vacation spot. As soon as they’re completed, the teleops driver pilots the car again.
Vay introduced Wednesday throughout CES 2025 it’s increasing its operations and plans to extend its fleet to 100 autos in Las Vegas.
The startup, which raised a €34 million spherical from the European Funding Financial institution final 12 months, has additionally secured a manufacturing facility to satisfy rising demand. The corporate stated the power can be used to construct out Vay’s Kia e-Niro fleet.
Vay co-founder and CEO Thomas Von der Ohe stated the funding represents a major milestone for Vay’s development and can play a vital function in scaling its choices.
Vay stated its customers have taken greater than 6,000 journeys all through central Las Vegas.
Final 12 months, the corporate introduced plans to develop into business-to-business operations, aiming to supply distant driving for personal automobiles, vans, vans, and autonomous autos. Vay stated Wednesday it’s hiring distant automotive and truck drivers as B2B operations develop this 12 months. The corporate hasn’t shared what autos it’s going to use for its industrial B2B service.
