Volkswagen’s Level 3 Self-Driving Tech Is Coming - But Not to the US or Europe

Volkswagen is making a big leap in automated driving, but Western drivers won’t get to try it. The German automaker plans to roll out Level 3 self-driving technology in China during the second half of 2027. That means the car will take full control under certain conditions, and the driver no longer needs to stay ready to grab the wheel at any moment.

No VW-badged vehicle in Europe or North America currently offers that capability.

To pull this off, VW is teaming up with Chinese tech firm Horizon Robotics through their joint venture, Carizon. Under an expanded partnership, Horizon will provide the AI foundation models that power the new driving system. The unified AI model will handle end-to-end driving tasks and, with Horizon’s tech, get better at predicting what other drivers and pedestrians might do.

The goal is a system that feels safer and more reliable on busy Chinese roads.

The new driving stack will be built into VW’s China Electronic Architecture, or CEA, the company’s first locally developed zonal electronic system. ” Already, Carizon’s L2+ system is available on models like the ID. Unyx 07 and ID. Unyx 06, offering highway Navigate on Autopilot and memory parking.

Later this year, an L2++ upgrade will bring Navigate on Autopilot into city streets, rolling out across seven of VW’s new energy vehicles in China. Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume said China has become a key hub for innovation in software and AI, and the deeper work with Carizon will help scale these solutions globally.