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Volkswagen Begins Public Road Testing Tesla Robotaxi Rival - An Autonomous Future Is Nearly here
Volkswagen has begun testing its Gen.Urban autonomous vehicle on public roads in Wolfsburg, Germany, as part of its ongoing research into self-driving technology. The vehicle is operating in live traffic conditions, including junctions and urban routes, without a steering wheel or pedals.
The VW Gen.Urban is a research vehicle developed specifically for autonomous testing. It is designed to operate without driver controls and is being used to study how autonomous systems perform in real-world urban environments. Volkswagen has confirmed that the vehicle is not intended for production.
Testing is being carried out by Volkswagen Group Innovation teams, who are monitoring vehicle behaviour as well as passenger interaction inside the cabin. The programme aims to gather data from real traffic situations rather than closed or simulated environments.
Nikolai Ardey, Head of Group Innovation at Volkswagen, said: "The technology for autonomous driving is making rapid progress. With our Gen.Urban research vehicle, we want to understand exactly how passengers experience autonomous driving."
He added: "Why? Because the key to a positive customer experience is to build trust - through meaningful interaction, a relaxed atmosphere, and intelligent assistance systems that respond precisely to the needs of passengers."
Volkswagen has stated that the research will focus on how occupants behave inside a fully autonomous vehicle, including seating position, movement, use of digital interfaces and overall comfort. The findings will be used to inform future development work within the Group.
The Gen.Urban has previously been tested in controlled environments and is now being evaluated on public roads to validate its autonomous capabilities under everyday traffic conditions. The vehicle is capable of navigating city routes independently while complying with traffic regulations.
Volkswagen has not announced any timelines for commercial deployment or further development stages. The company has also not confirmed whether the technology tested on the Gen.Urban will be used directly in future production vehicles.
The Wolfsburg testing programme forms part of Volkswagen Group's broader autonomous-driving research activities, which continue alongside work on advanced driver-assistance systems and future mobility concepts.
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