The Volkswagen Group wants to offer autonomous driving for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
During the Olympic Games next year, Toyota wants to provide the autonomous vehicle technology and corresponding robots. When the whole world is watching, this can be wonderfully used as advertising. The technology is also to be demonstrated for the 2022 Football World Cup, and this part will be handled by the manufacturer Volkswagen.
Project Qatar Mobility
As is well known, the 2022 Football World Cup will take place in Qatar. To this end, the manufacturer Volkswagen is launching the so-called Qatar Mobility project, which envisages the use of autonomous vehicles. The fleet of 45 vehicles is to be made available in the capital Doha.
The fleet will consist of 35 shuttles in the form of the Buzz ID and ten Scania buses. The engine will be electric and will continue to be operated commercially after the end of the World Cup. A specially created app will enable the use of the driving facilities.
Cross-brand concept as blueprint
The concept is to be implemented across all VW brands. The companies Scania, VW Commercial Vehicles, the mobility service MOIA and VW’s department for autonomous driving AID, which stands for Autonomous Intelligent Driving, are also involved. The concept envisages the development of the ecosystem, the infrastructure and the use of the automated vehicles. The legal framework for the provision is also to be established. The QIA (Qatar Investment Authority), Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund for economic investments, is working together on this. This concept will then be applied as a blueprint to other cities.
Project phases
The goal of establishing the autonomous transport service with the creation of the corresponding infrastructure and legal framework in Qatar by 2022 has two intermediate steps. Shuttles and buses are to be tested as early as next year. In the following year, trial operations are to begin so that the project can be officially launched in Doha in 2022.
About the author:
David Fluhr is journalist and owner of the digital magazine “Autonomes Fahren & Co”. He is reporting regularly about trends and technologies in the fields Autonomous Driving, HMI, Telematics and Robotics.