Vay Accelerates its Driverless Revolution in Las Vegas
Imagine hailing a car that shows up at your doorstep with no one behind the wheel. That’s exactly what Vay, a Berlin-based startup, is delivering in Las Vegas with its innovative driverless car-sharing service. Leveraging cutting-edge teleoperations technology, Vay allows human operators to remotely pilot empty vehicles to eager customers. Since January 2024, a fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro vehicles has been quietly navigating the streets of Las Vegas, offering a glimpse into the future of transportation.
Here’s how it works: When you open the Vay app and request a ride, a car arrives at your location without a driver. You simply hop in, take manual control, and drive yourself to your destination. Once you’re finished, the remote operator takes over and guides the vehicle back, ready for its next journey. It’s seamless, convenient, and poised to transform urban mobility.
This week, during CES 2025, Vay announced plans to significantly expand its presence in Las Vegas by increasing its fleet to 100 vehicles. This expansion is fueled by a €34 million investment from the European Investment Bank, secured last year. Furthermore, Vay has obtained a production facility to enhance its capacity and meet growing demand, focusing on building out its Kia e-Niro fleet.
“This investment marks a pivotal milestone for Vay’s growth and is crucial for scaling our offerings,” stated Thomas Von der Ohe, Vay’s co-founder and CEO.
{Thomas Von der Ohe}
Since launching in central Las Vegas, Vay has facilitated over 6,000 trips, demonstrating the viability and appeal of its service. But Vay isn’t stopping there. Last year, they unveiled ambitions to dive into business-to-business operations. The goal? Providing remote driving services for private cars, trucks, vans, and autonomous vehicles. As part of this expansion strategy, Vay is actively hiring remote car and truck drivers to support its growing B2B endeavors.
While details on the specific vehicles for their commercial B2B service remain under wraps, Vay’s forward-thinking approach indicates exciting developments on the horizon. With its innovative model and strategic growth plans, Vay is not just expanding; it’s paving the way for a new era in transportation.
