Invisible man: German startup bets on remote driver

With no one behind the wheel, the SUV pulling up resembles an autonomous robotaxi, similar to those increasingly appearing in some cities - but the vehicle from the German startup Vay is something entirely different.

One of a number of emerging players attempting to disrupt road transportation, this seven-year-old company is centered on remote driving, where a human plays a crucial role, but remains physically present in an office, utilizing television monitors to guide the vehicle.

In the past year, Las Vegas riders have had the chance to test Vay, and the company showcased its technology just before the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest technology event.

Thomas von der Ohe, chief executive and co-founder of Vay, stated that his company's approach is a low-cost alternative with no connection to autonomous driving.

Von der Ohe, who previously worked at Zoox, the Amazon-owned autonomous driving company, said that unlike other autonomous driving companies, Vay doesn't have to "run massive amounts of simulations" to be safe.

"Our fundamental safety principle is that the human driver is able to make the decision," he said.

Unlike a Tesla or Waymo, Vay has no vision of ever dispensing with the steering wheel, which engages in smooth, dynamic movements during rides, as if controlled by an invisible individual.

The remote driving approach makes use of camera technology that is relatively low in cost, which amounts to a small fraction of the cost of expensive Lidar sensing systems typically used by leading autonomous companies.

A demonstration of the remote driving technology displayed a user viewing three screens - which included live footage from front, side, and rear-view cameras - as they operated a vehicle similar to those found in at-home racing simulators, featuring a steering wheel and pedals.

Vay is offering rides at half the cost of Uber or Lyft. Von der Ohe anticipates reaching profitability within the next one or two years, contingent upon the company's ability to scale efficiently.

Von der Ohe reported that the fleet of Vay's vehicles in Las Vegas has expanded from two cars to 30 within the past 12 months, and has provided a total of 6,000 rides.

But Von der Ohe believes that the company's primary revenue stream will not be ride-hailing, but rather the delivery of automobiles to consumers who will then drive them.

In this aspect, Vay bears similarities to a car rental business.

After the launch in Las Vegas, some customers have ordered Vay vehicles for home delivery and then taken them for a drive themselves.

"We think this can be a genuine alternative to private cars," von der Ohe stated.

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