It’s been a few years since we first saw the retro Microbus-inspired Volkswagen ID Buzz concept, so we’ve been eager to see how much will change for the production version. Well we now have our first preview, since Volkswagen has unveiled the ID. Buzz AD at the Munich Motor Show, which is based on the production ID. Buzz.
VW partnered with Argo Ai to create the autonomous ID. Buzz AD. You’ll notice that the exterior is packed with cameras, radar, and lidar for the self driving system. On top the lidar scanner sits high on the roof and can detect objects from a distance of more than 1300 feet. There are also a batch of sensors all over the exterior, in addition to 11 radar panels, microphones and cameras that feed that data to Argo’s Complementary Autonomous Vehicle System.
“An environment recognition system from six lidar, eleven radar and fourteen cameras, distributed over the entire vehicle, can capture much more than any human driver can from his seat,” stated Christian Senger, Head of Autonomous Driving at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
VW is using the ID. Buzz AD to test the autonomous technology, but human drivers will still be at the wheel to take over if needed. It will be tested in Neufahn, near Munich, Germany.
We still have to wait for the production version of the ID. Buzz, which is slated to arrive by 2023. The good news is that from what we can see here, the production version will be just as cool as the concept.
