Electric SUVs have been on the market for a couple of years now but what would really turn heads is a self-driving camper van. If you can sit back and relax in the backseat of your motorhome sipping on your favorite drink, reading your favorite author, then why would you want to sit at its wheel and crawl through the traffic with no end in sight?
It seems Volkswagen has the answer in the form of its all-new, fully autonomous ID. Buzz electric van is based on its iconic camper van from the 50s.
VW is planning on powering the ID. Buzz with Argo AI software that is developed in collaboration with Ford. Testing will be carried out in Germany with the final aim of going commercial.
In the word of VW head of autonomous driving, Christian Senger: “ The aim is to develop a ride-hailing and pooling concept similar to what MOIA offers today…….. In the middle of this decade, our customers will then have the opportunity to be taken to their destination in selected cities with autonomous vehicles.”
The vehicle itself is designed for more commercial use; however, with its lineage and long history of being an icon in the motoring world, it might soon find customers from the adventurer and camper community. It could even spark an autonomous EV camping culture with people going on cross country road-trips, camping in deserts, forests, and across national parks. This would surely bring about a revolution in the motoring world and the realm of traveling and living.
The van is set to make an appearance on the roads by the year 2022, but it will not have autonomous features as of the said date. It will have a combination of modern-retro styling inspired by its predecessor, a spacious and equipped cabin, electric motors powering it, and, most importantly, a touch of home.