Vay, Bayanat to Expand Remote Driving to Middle East, Africa

German teledriving company Vay Technology has teamed with the United Arab Emirates’ Bayanat as it aims to expand operations of its remotely controlled vehicles.

The pair have signed a memorandum of understanding to “advance teledriving technology solutions with geospatial data and AI.”

The hope is that Vay’s teledriving tech can be successfully launched in the Middle East, Africa and some Asia Pacific countries.

Currently, Vay is operating in Las Vegas, having initially proven its technology in its home country, where it became the first company in Europe to operate on public roads without a human behind the wheel.

Vay differs from other self-driving taxis, in that once a vehicle is ordered by a customer, via an app, it is “driven” to the desired location by a human based at a remote teledrive center, who uses conventional controls, such as a steering wheel and pedals. 

The connection is via a cellular network. Once delivered, the customer takes over and drives to their destination, at which point the remote teledriver resumes control. 

Credit: Vay Technology

The partnership will see insights from Bayanat’s AI-enabled platform, GIQ, used to assist Vay’s teledrivers by facilitating superior decision making, enhanced situational awareness and greater efficiency.

Related:New Remote Driving Service Launches in the US

The companies will also launch a joint research and development arm focused on the expansion of next-generation, safe autonomous technology, taking advantage of Bayanat’s operational infrastructure, data and AI capabilities.

Bayanat’s involvement comes prior to a merger with another UAE company, Al Yah Satellite Communications, that will see the newly formed entity called Space42, which aims to become a leader in AI in the Middle East.

“Bayanat, soon to be Space42, remains committed to fostering key partnerships that advance disruptive industries such as teledriving and advanced mobility,” said Hasan Al Hosani, Bayanat’s managing director.

“Our collaboration with Vay will allow us to tackle teledriving challenges and set the pace of innovation in the industry. By combining our AI-powered smart mobility solutions with Vay’s cutting-edge teledriving technology, we aim to deliver advanced, scalable mobility solutions that enhance transportation efficiency and foster safer, more sustainable urban mobility experiences.”

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The Vay deal is the second significant partnership confirmed by Bayanat in a matter of months, having teamed with the U.K.’s Oxa in June to use its geospatial analytics tools to enhance the capabilities of autonomous vehicles. It has also worked with China’s WeRide on self-driving taxis.

Related:Remote Control ‘Teledriving’ Arrives in Europe

Vay co-founder Thomas von der Ohe said the deal would allow it to further develop the idea of “remote-operated, assisted autonomy.”

“Teledriving has a profound ability to increase cost-effectiveness for fleet operations,” he said. “Coupled with Bayanat’s AI-powered platform, we can further advance the implementation of teledriving beyond the current use cases and improve the overall experience for teledrivers, users and partners.”

Last week, Vay confirmed an agreement with Verizon to use its 5G for its Las Vegas operation.