This Rental Startup Co-founded By Former Zoox Employee Is Embracing Tele-Operated Cars, Promising 50% Cheaper Costs Than Uber - Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Company Overview - Vay is a Berlin-based rental startup that focuses on tele-operated rentals, positioning itself as a more affordable alternative to traditional ridesharing services like Uber, claiming to offer rides that are 50% cheaper than Uber's prices [1][2]. Business Model - Vay operates in Las Vegas with a fleet of over 100 Kia Niro EVs, which are limited to speeds under 25 mph and equipped with four cameras but no additional sensors. The vehicles are controlled by teleoperators who must complete over 1,000 kilometers of remote driving experience before certification [3]. - The company has raised over $200 million in funding, including a significant $60 million investment from Grab Holdings. Vay has completed over 35,000 trips and offers a service where remote drivers deliver rental cars to customers and can park them for a fee of $0.35 per minute, reducing to $0.05 per minute when parked [4]. Future Plans - Vay's current strategy does not include plans for a Robotaxi service similar to those being developed by competitors like Waymo, as confirmed by CEO Thomas von der Ohe [5]. Industry Context - The Robotaxi market is becoming increasingly competitive, with Waymo leading the charge and seeking to raise over $10 billion at a valuation of $100 billion. Waymo has also introduced a new minivan-style Robotaxi in collaboration with Chinese automaker Zeekr [6]. - Analysts suggest that Tesla's Robotaxi service may be more capital-efficient compared to Waymo's, highlighting Tesla's fleet advantages over both Waymo and traditional ridesharing companies like Uber [7].