Vay is expanding its car teledriving service in Las Vegas

Get a loan startup is expanding its teledriving service, an Uber-like service where your car is driven by someone in a remote location. The company is expanding its fleet and building an 8,500-square-foot manufacturing facility in Las Vegas.

You may not have heard of teledriving before, but I was able to try it out at CES 2024 last year. With Vay, you can order a car to pick you up. A Vay driver sitting in a building with a bunch of screens in front of them will remotely drive the car next to you. To viewers, it will look like a self-driving car coming to pick you up. But a person is in full control of the car – remotely.

Then you can get in the car and drive it to where you want to go. When you’re done, you hand it back to the remote driver, who can drive the car to its next destination. If you’re good at racing video games, remote driving might be a good job for you.

It’s a very interesting concept for a new kind of service — one that gives drivers more privacy than taxis or Uber. It can be more cost-effective as a per-minute rental service compared to other ridesharing solutions. And it can be safer than a self-driving car because a human is always in control of the car.

The company launched its pilot service last year and is now expanding its door-to-door remote driving service in 2025. up to 100 vehicles in Las Vegas. Vay has secured a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Las Vegas to build its fleet of electric vehicles that have cameras and sensors attached.

This facility, designed to process up to 16 vehicles per week, will serve as Vay’s primary hardware manufacturing and deployment center for the United States. Vay also has a center in the center dedicated to fleet readiness and maintenance. The facility will streamline the build-out of Vay’s Kia e-Niro fleet, which will serve as a major hardware deployment hub.

Vay is actively hiring remote drivers to support both car and truck operations as remote truck driving services will launch soon.

Vay provides service throughout the central Las Vegas area, including the Strip, the busiest hotels and nearby attractions. It has gained popularity because it offers a hassle-free way to travel in and around the city. Since its launch a year ago, users have taken more than 6,000 trips.

“This new facility and the expansion of our fleet underscores Vay’s commitment to serving our growing customer base in Las Vegas, providing a seamless experience for everyone who wants our vehicles,” said Thomas von der Ohe, CEO of Vay, in a statement. “This investment represents an important milestone for Vay’s growth and will play a critical role in scaling our offerings.”

Vay remote driving services

Through the Vay app, users can request an electric vehicle to be delivered remotely to their location. Once the car arrives, the user takes possession of it and drives it like a regular car. At the end of the trip, the user cancels the rental in the app, gets out of the car and a remote driver takes over, eliminating the time-consuming search for parking. Vay’s per-minute rental service costs half as much as current ride-sharing options, is a more economical alternative to autonomous driving, and doesn’t require expensive membership fees.

Vay aims to make remote driving services universally available through its commercial solutions that provide affordable and sustainable door-to-door mobility. With a seamless experience from vehicle delivery to return, users enjoy complete control and privacy, traveling at their own pace in a safe, private environment. What’s more, Vay’s remote driving technology maximizes the efficiency of its all-electric fleet, reducing the number of cars needed in urban areas and contributing to greener, less congested cities.

Vay has also recently expanded its offerings to include B2B services that enable remote driving for personal cars, trucks, vans and autonomous vehicles, among others.

The Future of Mobility Jobs: Remote Drivers

Remote driving introduces an entirely new and unique profession that combines safety and flexibility. Remote drivers work from an office environment alongside colleagues, enjoy regular breaks and avoid spending long periods away from home. Unlike traditional driving roles, they are compensated by the hour rather than by trip, providing greater stability. This setup also creates a safer and more attractive work environment.

Vay Remote Driving Academy offers a comprehensive training program that prepares remote drivers for professional driving on public roads. Through rigorous training and advanced technology, remote drivers gain the skills to operate confidently while maintaining a safe and secure driving style. One of the things that came in handy while I was riding: the remote driver said things like “I see a stop sign ahead” to reassure the passenger that he was paying attention.

Vay remote control technology

Professionally trained remote drivers sit at a remote driving station with a steering wheel, pedals and other vehicle controls designed according to automotive industry standards. The service operates day and night, with Vay operating in Las Vegas from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The camera sensors reproduce the car’s surroundings and transmit it to the remote control screens. Road traffic sounds, such as emergency vehicles and other advanced warning signals, are transmitted to the remote driver’s headset via microphones.

Vay develops and deploys remote control technology with a strong emphasis on safety. This includes a focus on functional safety (ISO 26262) and cyber security (ISO 21434). To confirm Vay’s high safety standards, TÜV Süd, an internationally recognized independent third-party organization specializing in testing, certification, auditing and consulting services, has thoroughly tested and positively approved Vay’s technology.