Volkswagen is desperately seeking a partner to save its autonomous taxi project

Volkswagen’s little-known autonomous shuttle division, Moia, is facing serious doubts. The cost cuts required within the group make its future even more uncertain, especially since the two potential partners have withdrawn from discussions.

During the boom in the first wave of investment in autonomous vehicles in the mid-2010s, Volkswagen decided to establish its own division. Moia is tasked with developing autonomous shuttles based on the brand’s commercial vehicles. An autonomous ID.Buzz was displayed at the Hannover Motor Show this week. But the German company can no longer afford to fund its development on its own.

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However, the search for partners has ended in failure. Uber and Lyft, which were pursued as potential partners, chose a different path. This is understandable. According to Manager Magazin, Volkswagen reportedly demanded a minimum investment of 2 billion euros before agreeing to contribute funds as well.

Several options are now under consideration. One possibility is bringing in a partner from the tech sector rather than the services industry. Nvidia’s name comes up, either directly or through the British startup Wayve, of which it is a shareholder. Another option is to simply sell Moia. At Wolfsburg, they are for now unwilling to consider closing it down, as that would represent both a huge financial loss and an obvious admission of failure.