- In February 2023 Vay became the first company in Europe to drive a car without a safety driver on a public road
- The Berlin-based startup develops automotive grade technology for remote driving (teledriving) on public roads to the highest safety and security standards
- Vay aims to launch a safe, affordable and sustainable door-to-door mobility service in the US, Germany and beyond
BERLIN/LAS VEGAS, November 15, 2023. For the first time, a teledriving company is now driving cars remotely on public roads on both continents, in Europe and North America, without a person in the vehicle. Vay’s automotive grade teledriving technology allows cars to be driven on public roads from a teledrive center. In February, the deep tech startup achieved this milestone in Hamburg (Germany). Now the first “driverless” journey has taken place in Las Vegas, Nevada (US).
Vay’s teledriving technology enables a person (“teledriver”) to drive a vehicle remotely (“teledriving”). Professionally trained teledrivers sit at a teledrive station with a steering wheel, pedals and other vehicle controls developed to meet automotive industry standards. The car surroundings are reproduced via camera sensors and transmitted to the screens of the teledrive station. Road traffic sounds, such as emergency vehicles and other warning signals, are transmitted via microphones to the teledriver’s headphones.
Vay has developed and validated the technology following industry standards to allow for safe operation on public streets. Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Fabrizio Scelsi, emphasizes how important high safety standards are for the company and also for the entire industry:
“At Vay, we don’t just say ‘Safety First’ – we live it. We implement safety and security by design, considering this as an essential part of our development process starting from day one.”
Vay follows key safety standards, including those for vehicle safety, functional safety (ISO 26262), and cybersecurity (ISO 21434). TÜV Süd, an independent third-party for testing, certification, auditing and advisory services, has tested and positively endorsed Vay’s technology in accordance with these high safety standards.
For Vay’s co-founder and CEO, Thomas von der Ohe, being the first in Europe and the US is a huge achievement. He stated, “This not only showcases our team’s incredible capabilities but also places both Europe and the US at the forefront of teledriving technology. I am proud of our entire team for making our presence in both markets possible by developing technology in Europe to bring it to the world.”.
Vay aims to offer a safe, affordable and sustainable door-to-door mobility service, where users order an electric vehicle via the Vay app and the teledriver brings the car to the user – remotely driven from the teledrive center. The user then jumps into the car and drives themself to their destination. Once there, a teledriver remotely drives the car to the next user or parks it. No time spent picking up a car or trying to find parking. Close cooperation with US and German authorities is underway for the launch of the service on both continents.
Here you will find footage and a video of the first ever ride without a person in the car in Europe and the US.
Interested early access users can subscribe to the waiting list here.
