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Vay is launching is increasing its teledriving automobile service, an Uber-like service the place your automobile is pushed by somebody in a distant location. The corporate is increasing its fleet of vehicles and constructing an 8,500-square-feet manufacturing facility in Las Vegas.
You might not have heard about teledriving earlier than, however I used to be in a position to strive it out at CES 2024 final 12 months. With Vay, you possibly can order a automobile to return decide you up. A Vay driver sitting in a constructing with a bunch of screens in entrance of them will remotely drive the automobile to you. To spectators, this may seem like a self-driving automobile coming to choose you up. However a human is totally in command of the automobile — from a distance.
Then you will get within the automobile and drive it round to the place you wish to go. When you find yourself executed, you hand it again over to the distant driver, who can drive the automobile to its subsequent vacation spot. In case you’re good at racing video video games, distant driving could be a very good job for you.
It’s a really fascinating idea for a brand new sort of service — one that offers drivers extra privateness than a taxi or an Uber. It may be cheaper as a per-minute rental service than different ridesharing options. And it could possibly be safer than a self-driving automobile as a result of a human is all the time in command of the automobile.
The corporate began its pilot service final 12 months and now it’s increasing its door-to-door distant driving service in 2025 to 100 autos in Las Vegas. Vay has secured a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Las Vegas to construct out its fleet of electrical autos, which have cameras and sensors hooked up.
This facility, designed to course of as much as 16 autos per week, will function Vay’s major manufacturing and {hardware} deployment hub for the USA. Vay additionally has a downtown hub devoted to fleet readiness and upkeep. The power will optimize the build-out of Vay’s Kia e-Niro fleet, which can function the first hub for {hardware} deployment.
Vay is actively hiring distant drivers to help each automobile and truck operations, as distant truck driving companies will start quickly.
Vay offers companies all through central Las Vegas, together with the Strip, the busiest accommodations, and close by sights. It has gained recognition as a result of it presents a seamless strategy to journey in and across the metropolis. Since its launch a 12 months in the past, customers have taken greater than 6,000 journeys.
“This new facility and our fleet expansion highlight Vay’s commitment to serving our growing customer base in Las Vegas, ensuring a seamless experience for everyone requesting our vehicles,” mentioned Thomas Von der Ohe, CEO of Vay, in an announcement. “This investment represents a significant milestone for Vay’s growth and will play a crucial role in scaling our offerings.”
Vay’s distant driving companies
Via the Vay app, customers can request that an electrical automobile be remotely delivered to their location. After the automobile arrives, the person takes over and drives it like a daily automobile. On the finish of the journey, the person ends the rental within the app, exits the automobile, and a distant driver takes over, eliminating the time-consuming seek for parking. Vay’s per-minute rental service prices half as a lot as present ride-sharing choices, is a extra economical various to autonomous driving, and requires no pricey membership charges.
Vay goals to make distant driving companies universally accessible by means of its industrial options, which give inexpensive and sustainable door-to-door mobility. With a seamless expertise from automobile supply to return, customers take pleasure in full management and privateness, touring at their very own tempo in a secure, private surroundings. Furthermore, Vay’s distant driving expertise maximizes the effectivity of its all-electric fleet, lowering the variety of vehicles wanted in city areas and contributing to greener, much less congested cities.
Vay has additionally not too long ago expanded its choices to incorporate B2B companies, which allow distant driving for personal vehicles, vehicles, vans, and autonomous autos, amongst others.
The way forward for mobility jobs: distant drivers
Distant driving introduces a completely new and distinctive career that mixes security and suppleness. Distant drivers function from an workplace surroundings alongside colleagues, take pleasure in common breaks, and keep away from spending prolonged durations away from residence. In contrast to conventional driving roles, they’re compensated hourly moderately than per journey, offering better stability. This setup additionally creates a safer and extra interesting work surroundings.
The Vay Distant Driving Academy presents a complete coaching program that prepares distant drivers for skilled driving on public streets. Via rigorous coaching and superior expertise, distant drivers are supplied with abilities to function confidently whereas constantly sustaining a secure and defensive driving fashion. One of many issues that was helpful whereas I used to be using: the distant driver mentioned issues like “I see the stop sign ahead” to reassure the passenger that they have been paying consideration.
Vay’s distant driving expertise
Professionally educated distant drivers sit at a distant driving station with a steering wheel, pedals, and different automobile controls developed in accordance with automotive {industry} requirements. The service operates night time and day, with Vay working in Las Vegas from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m..
Digicam sensors reproduce the automobile’s environment and transmit them to the screens of the distant driving station. Highway site visitors sounds, corresponding to emergency autos and different augmented warning indicators, are transmitted to the distant driver’s headphones by way of microphones.
Vay develops and operates distant driving expertise with a powerful emphasis on security. This consists of specializing in Purposeful Security (ISO 26262) and Cybersecurity (ISO 21434). To validate Vay’s excessive security requirements, TÜV Süd, an internationally acknowledged unbiased third-party group specializing in testing, certification, auditing, and advisory companies, has totally examined and positively endorsed Vay’s expertise.
