Mexican Media Brands
Report: VW in Talks to Manage DiDi Fleet of Ride-Hailing Cars
Volkswagen AG is expected to sign a deal within weeks to manage part of the fleet of ride-hailing cars operated by Beijing-based DiDi Chuxing Technology Co.
Share
Volkswagen AG is expected to sign a deal within weeks to manage part of the fleet of ride-hailing cars operated by Beijing-based DiDi Chuxing Technology Co., Reuters says.
The deal is believed to be the first under the DiDi Auto Alliance the company announced last week with 31 carmakers and suppliers. The coalition aims to create a consumer-friendly, person-transport environment that integrates vehicle purchasing, finance, autonomous driving, fleet operation and car-sharing services.
Under the VW deal, the carmaker would initially administer some 100,000 new cars, about two-thirds of them VW Group models, for Didi. VW also would jointly purchase some of the cars to help accelerate the expansion of DiDi’s fleet, sources tell Reuters.
Longer term, the two companies would collaborate to design and deploy vehicles specifically intended for ride-hailing applications. A VW executive notes to Reuters that ride-hailing vehicles could be smaller and less powerful than conventional cars, because they usually carry one passenger and travel relatively slowly.
The VW source says the ultimate goal will be to develop fleets of self-driving shuttles that customers can hail on a per-ride basis.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Plastics: The Tortoise and the Hare
Plastic may not be in the news as much as some automotive materials these days, but its gram-by-gram assimilation could accelerate dramatically.
-
Choosing the Right Fasteners for Automotive
PennEngineering makes hundreds of different fasteners for the automotive industry with standard and custom products as well as automated assembly solutions. Discover how they’re used and how to select the right one. (Sponsored Content)
-
Increasing Use of Structural Adhesives in Automotive
Can you glue a car together? Frank Billotto of DuPont Transportation & Industrial discusses the major role structural adhesives can play in vehicle assembly.
