Volkswagen is weighing exit options for Moia, the ridepooling and autonomous-mobility subsidiary it once presented as proof that a German manufacturer could compete in robotaxis. Wirtschaftswoche, citing an internal strategy paper, reports that the board sees no central role for Moia in its 2030 target picture and that the group intends to work through different exit scenarios until the end of 2026 — ranging from a takeover by new investors to a full wind-down. Moia had recently asked the state for money.
The reasons are technical and financial. In Hamburg, Moia is testing autonomous operation with a VW ID.Buzz using technology from supplier Mobileye; insiders say the hardware and software do not meet expectations for fault-free driving, and the Level 4 autonomy proof is still outstanding. At the same time, a VW under financial pressure is unwilling to spend the billions needed to continue, especially after potential investors including Uber and Lyft pulled back. With BMW and Mercedes having exited earlier joint ventures, Germany risks losing its last serious foothold in self-driving.
The contrast with Waymo is stark. The Alphabet subsidiary has invested an estimated $27 billion over more than 15 years, runs more than half a million paid rides a week in the US alone, and is preparing European expansion. London, with its dense and historically confusing street network, has become the preferred test ground for Waymo, Uber and Baidu, while Munich, Berlin, Zagreb, Zurich and Madrid are being prepared by a range of providers.
German manufacturers still hold ground at Level 3 assistance, but the AI needed for driverless operation is a different discipline with a different cost structure. Analysts expect ride-hailing costs to fall to roughly 60 to 80 cents per kilometre as driverless fleets scale. Current rules still require safety drivers, but operators are planning the step to fully driverless operation — and the value creation that comes with it is likely to accrue to whoever owns the fleet software, not the vehicle brand.
