By utilizing an app, people in Las Vegas can now order a rental car, and the car will be delivered to them by a driver who drives it remotely (teledriver).
This is the first commercial launch of German teledriving company Vay’s technology, demonstrating the potential of vehicles being driven remotely by humans rather than autonomously by computers.
Caleb Varner, general manager of Vay in the US, explains, “You just press a button, and the car will be delivered to you within minutes, similar to the way users are used to with other mobility apps. The car will be delivered without a driver because it is controlled remotely. Renters can drive the car wherever they want, whether it’s a few minutes, a few hours or even more. Once finished they can put it back by massaging the button. Teledriver will then take over and send it to another tenant.”
In short, Vay just sends it and takes it back, or delivers it to another renter. Not completely driving the vehicle remotely.
A Vay remote-controlled vehicle rolls down a street in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, in this undated photo obtained by Reuters on January 16, 2024. (Vay/Handout via REUTERS)
Founded in 2018, Berlin-based Vay has spent five years developing its teledriver technology. The company raised $95 million in funding in late 2021 to operate it.
For now, the service is only available around the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the downtown Arts District.
Vay hopes the ease of ordering a rental car will increase its popularity, and promises that the per-minute rental price will be lower compared to other rideshare services, such as Uber or Lyft.
A remote-controlled car, Vay, drives through the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, in this undated photo obtained by Reuters, January 16, 2024. (Vay/Handout via REUTERS)
Teledriver Antonella Rosa used to work for a rideshare company, now she works remotely driving cars for Vay.
Every day, he sits in a so-called “teledrive station” with the steering wheel, pedals and other vehicle controls. The car’s surroundings are reproduced via camera sensors and sent to a screen at the station. Road traffic sounds, such as emergency vehicles and other warning signals, are transmitted via microphone to the teledriver’s headset.
Rosa says driving remotely is very similar to driving directly behind the wheel.
“Actually there is no difference. It’s like driving a regular car.” (ab/uh)