Va is hitting the accelerator on its driverless car-sharing service in Las Vegas.
The Berlin-based startup, which uses teleoperation technology that allows people to drive empty vehicles to customers, has been operating a small commercial fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro vehicles in certain parts of Las Vegas since January 2024.
When customers open the Vay app and appreciate a car, it comes without a human behind the wheel Once the Vay vehicle arrives, the customer comes and takes manual control of the vehicle. Customers drive themselves to their destinations. Once they are finished, the Teleps driver pilots the vehicle again.
Vay announced Wednesday during CES 2025 that it is expanding its operations and plans to increase its fleet to 100 in Las Vegas.
The startup, which last year raised a €34 million round from the European Investment Bank, has also secured a manufacturing facility to meet growing demand. The company said the facility will be used to manufacture Vay's Kia e-Niro fleet.
Vay co-founder and CEO Thomas von der Ohe said the investment represents a significant milestone for Vay's growth and will be instrumental in scaling its offering.
VA says its users have made more than 6,000 trips across central Las Vegas.
Last year, the company announced plans to expand Business-to-business operationsAims to provide remote driving for private cars, trucks, vans and autonomous vehicles. VA said Wednesday it is hiring remote car and truck drivers as it expands B2B operations this year. The company did not share which vehicles it will use for its commercial B2B services.