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Vay is rolling out its teledriving car service, similar to Uber, but with a twist: the car is driven remotely by a person in a different location. This means you can order a car, and a remote driver will navigate it to your location. From an outsider’s perspective, it may look like a self-driving car, but a human is actually controlling it remotely.
Once the car arrives, you can drive it to your destination. When you’re done, you hand control back to the remote driver, who will then drive the car to its next user. This service offers more privacy than traditional taxis or Ubers and can be more cost-effective as a per-minute rental option. It might also be safer than self-driving cars since a human is always in control.
Berlin-based Vay, which has been working on this technology for a while, has raised $95 million and has over 150 employees. Founded in 2018 by Thomas von der Ohe, Fabrizio Scelsi, and Bogdan Djukic, Vay is now launching its teledriving service in Las Vegas. This service aims to redefine urban mobility by offering door-to-door convenience and eliminating parking hassles.
Vay’s teledriving technology focuses on maintaining high safety standards for operations on public streets. According to CEO Thomas von der Ohe, after five years of development, the company is launching its convenient, affordable, and sustainable mobility service in Las Vegas, aiming to reduce the number of parked cars and make cities more livable.
While there are potential risks, Vay is implementing redundant safety features. Remote drivers use screens that display the car’s surroundings via cameras, ensuring they operate the vehicle safely.
The teledriving service has successfully launched around the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Arts District. Users can order an electric car via the Vay app, and a remote driver will bring it to them. Once the user is in the car, they drive it themselves. After reaching their destination, the remote driver takes over again. The service charges per minute, making it potentially more cost-effective than other mobility solutions. Rates start at 30 cents per minute while driving and 3 cents per minute while waiting.
Vay’s technology allows teledrivers to operate vehicles remotely using a complete setup of controls and screens, with road traffic sounds and warnings transmitted to them. The company adheres to key industry safety standards and has undergone independent testing by TÜV Süd. The Vay Teledrive Academy provides rigorous training for teledrivers, ensuring they can navigate public streets safely.
Currently, the service is available in the UNLV and Arts District areas, with the app downloadable for U.S. users. Vay’s investors include prominent firms and individuals such as Kinnevik, Coatue, and former Alphabet CFO Patrick Pichette.
When you order a car through the app, it will arrive driven remotely by a teledriver. After you get in, you can take over and drive it yourself. The light inside the car turns green to indicate that you can now control it. This service combines the convenience of a rental car with the ease of having the vehicle delivered to you.
Although you can have a teledriver drive you around, this isn’t the primary use case since it would require paying a human driver for the ride, which is not cost-effective. Vay aims to offer a cheaper alternative to traditional transportation options, like Uber or taxis, by letting users drive themselves at a significant discount.
Vay has been testing its service in Las Vegas for about six months, using Kia Niro EVs for its fleet. The company is hiring and training drivers in the U.S. and retrofitting cars with cameras and other necessary equipment. They are also seeking permits to teledrive in Germany, but Las Vegas has been quick to approve such experimental services.
Users can drive the vehicle anywhere within Las Vegas but must return it to one of two designated areas where a teledriver will pick it up for the next user or return it to base. Vay has two hubs in Las Vegas, one downtown and one near UNLV, targeting price-sensitive urban residents.