Vay is expanding its remote-drive car service in Las Vegas

fi It is expanding its ride-hailing service, an Uber-like service where someone drives your car in a remote location. The company is expanding its fleet of vehicles and building an 8,500-square-foot production facility in Las Vegas.

You’ve probably never heard of remote driving before, however I was able to try it out at CES 2024 last year. With Vay, you can request a car to pick you up. A Vay driver sitting in a building with a set of screens in front of him will drive the car to you remotely. To viewers, this vehicle will look like a self-driving car coming to pick you up. But the human is in complete control of the car – from a distance.

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 type of service, one that gives drivers more privacy than taxis or Ubers. It can be more cost effective as a by-the-minute rental service compared to other ride-sharing solutions. It can be safer than a self-driving car because a human is always in control of the car.

The company began its pilot service last year and is now expanding its door-to-door remote drive service in 2025 to include 100 vehicles in Las Vegas. Vay has secured a state-of-the-art production facility in Las Vegas to build its fleet of electric cars, which have cameras and sensors attached to them.

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

Vay is actively hiring remote drivers to support its auto and truck operations, and will begin remote truck driving services soon.

Vay provides services throughout Central Las Vegas, including the Strip, the busiest hotels, and nearby attractions. It has gained popularity as it provides a seamless 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 expansion of our fleet highlights Vay’s commitment to serving our growing customer base in Las Vegas, ensuring a seamless experience for everyone who orders our vehicles,” he said. Thomas von der Uhe, CEO of Vay, in a statement. “This investment represents an important milestone for Vay’s growth and will play a critical role in expanding our offering.”

Vay remote driving services

Through the Vay app, users can request the electric vehicle to be delivered to their location remotely. After the car arrives, the user takes control and drives it like a normal car. At the end of the trip, the user completes the rental process in the app, exits the car, and the remote driver takes over, eliminating the need for time-consuming parking searches. Vay’s per-minute rental service costs half the cost of existing ride-sharing options, is a more economical alternative to self-driving, and does not require an expensive membership fee.

Vay aims to make remote driving services globally accessible through its commercial solutions, which provide affordable and sustainable door-to-door mobility. With a seamless experience from vehicle delivery to return, users have complete control and privacy, traveling at their own pace in a safe, personal environment. Furthermore, Fay’s remote driving technology increases the efficiency of its all-electric fleet, reducing the number of cars required in urban areas and contributing to the creation of greener, less congested cities.

Vay has also recently expanded its offerings to include B2B services, which enable remote driving of private cars, trucks, vans, autonomous vehicles, and more.

The future of mobility jobs: remote drivers

Remote driving offers a completely new and unique career that combines safety and flexibility. Drivers work remotely from an office environment alongside colleagues, enjoy regular vacations, and avoid spending long periods away from home. Unlike traditional driving roles, they are compensated by the hour rather than per 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 streets. Through rigorous training and advanced technology, remote drivers are equipped with the skills necessary to operate with confidence while consistently maintaining a safe and defensive driving style. One thing that was helpful during the ride: The distant driver said things like “I see a stop sign ahead” to reassure the rider that he or she was paying attention.

Vay remote driving technology

Professionally trained remote drivers sit at a remote driving station with the steering wheel, pedals and other vehicle controls developed 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.

Camera sensors reproduce the vehicle’s surroundings and transmit it to the displays of the remote command station. Road traffic sounds, such as emergency vehicle sounds and other enhanced warning signals, are sent to the remote driver’s headphones via microphones.

Vay develops and operates remote driving technology with a strong focus on safety. This includes a focus on functional safety (ISO 26262) and cybersecurity (ISO 21434). To validate Vay’s high safety standards, TÜV Süd, an internationally recognized independent third-party organization specializing in testing, certification, auditing and advisory services, has comprehensively tested Vay’s technology and positively certified it.