LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Another remote driving company is coming to the Las Vegas valley.
The Germany company Vay said they've planning on opening an office in the Arts District and making it their base to "explore the U.S. market for its remotely driven door-to-door mobility service."
"We're more than excited to have Vay setting up their U.S. operations in Las Vegas," said Michael Sherwood, Las Vegas' Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. "They are part of a growing mobility and technology ecosystem that we are investing in and building in the city that we expect to have international impact - both as an employer of top global talent but also increasing the mobility options for tourists and residents alike."
According to company officials, Vay is planning to remotely deliver and return electric cars for its customers. For example, customers will be able to order a vehicle through the Vay app and a teledriver brings the car to the customer by driving it to the location remotely. The customer then gets into the vehicle to drive themselves to their destination. Once the customer arrives at their destination, a teledriver will drive the car to the next customer. Officials add there is no time spent picking up a car or trying to find parking.
"Our team is talking to stakeholders in various states and has started to work on launching an initial service," said co-founder and CEO Thomas von der Ohe. "The market is ready and the responses we have received so far from regulators, city governments, and potential customers in the U.S. show that it's a very dynamic market that we will be exploring in the near future."
In February, the company became the first company in Europe to remotely drive a car with no one inside of it on a public road. As of Thursday afternoon, Vay hasn't announced a timeline on when the service will be available in Las Vegas.
A similar company called Halo is already open for business in the valley.
RELATED LINK: Local business is innovating and revolutionizing the rental car industry
Renting a Halo Car costs $10 to $12 an hour depending on the car model selected. Customers can pay a flat fee of $80 to rent the car for the entire day, not including insurance and tax.
