Teledriving is gaining momentum - meet the technician who would like to drive your next rental car to your doorstep

Vay’s new rental cars are delivered remotely by teledrivers
Drivers sit at stations with steering wheels and live video feeds
Before the European launch, a test is running in Las Vegas via an iOS app

Next time you rent a car, it could be delivered by a driver located miles away. Vay, a car rental service, is testing technology in Las Vegas that delivers its vehicles to customers via teledrivers – and the technology could soon come to Europe.

With the Vay app you can order a vehicle for rent by the minute. Stick a pin in it and your car arrives driverless and is available to you for as long as you need it. However, the system does not rely on self-driving technology: Vay’s fleet is controlled remotely by a team of professional teledrivers. When you’re done, they can even park for you.

These trained operators sit at stations that resemble racing simulators. They control the vehicle remotely using a steering wheel, pedals and other controls that Vay says are “designed to meet automotive industry standards.”

Teledrivers see a live video feed of the road on a series of monitors, fed in real time by camera sensors installed in the vehicle. Microphones in the car also transmit traffic sounds and warning signals to the truck driver’s headphones.

According to Vay, the system relies on “multiple cellular networks combined with proprietary hardware on both the TV station and in the vehicle.”

Before Vays drivers get behind the wheel of a real remote-controlled car, they complete the Teledrive Academy. Vay describes this as “a rigorous program that prepares our drivers for public roads.”

Vay is also optimistic about its safety standards. The company has brought in TÜV Süd, an independent testing and certification body, to confirm that its long-distance driving technology is indeed safe. As robust as the data relays are, protective measures are also built in: in an emergency, the vehicle automatically comes to a safe stop. According to Vay, the Teledrive system is “as safe as having someone in the driver’s seat.”

It’s not the only company working on teledriving technology. Estonian startup Elmo recently received approval in its home country for its AI-powered autonomous braking system, which allows cars to drive at higher speeds without a human driver. But not all of Vay’s rivals are ready to give up on the human driver yet…

Ghost Rider

Vay launches commercial driverless mobility service with remote-controlled cars in Las Vegas, Nevada – YouTube

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Vay’s goal is to introduce driverless mobility services that combine the best of humans and machines, with the net benefit of reducing the number of cars in cities.

In the future, additional autonomous functions will be integrated into the system as soon as they are safe and legal. The test fleet is currently in use in Las Vegas. But the momentum of recent fundraising efforts and new partnerships with companies such as Belgian car-sharing platform Poppy mean similar attempts in Europe are now on the horizon.

Vay is not the only company testing variants of the robotaxi concept. Alphabet subsidiary Waymo operates its driverless taxis in Los Angeles, while Hyundai, in collaboration with Uber, operates a highly autonomous version of the Ioniq 5 – albeit with a human driver behind the wheel as a backup.

Elon Musk also finally unveiled Tesla’s long-promised “Cybercab” in October, although very few details were revealed about the technology that powers the vehicle. A recent job posting for a long-distance teleoperator suggests Tesla could follow Vay’s lead with its robot taxis.

The listing states: “Tesla AI’s teleoperations team is tasked with providing remote access to our robotaxis and humanoid robots. Our cars and robots operate autonomously in demanding environments. As we continue to develop the AI that powers them, we need the ability to access and control them remotely.”

Unlike Vay, the job description suggests that Tesla’s remote driving system will be based on VR rather than video screens. “Our remote operators will be transported into the world of the device using a state-of-the-art VR rig, allowing them to carry out complex and complicated tasks remotely.”

Time will tell when, where and whether Tesla will even bring its tele-operated taxis onto the market. If you want to have a rental car delivered by a long-distance driver, you will first have to visit Vay in Las Vegas. The app is now available for iOS. If you are an Android user, you can join the waiting list.

Teledriving is gaining momentum – meet the technician who would like to drive your next rental car to your doorstep

ByAmelia Journalton

By Amelia Journalton

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