Mercedes-Benz Vans teams with Via to offer ride sharing

Mercedes-Benz Vans has partnered up with US startup company Via to provide a ride-sharing service.

Via’s system matches up passengers heading in the same direction. Passengers request rides through a mobile app, and Via’s algorithm finds a vehicle that best matches the passenger’s route, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without detours.

The models mainly used will be the Vito Tourer (up to nine seats) and the V-Class (up to eight seats).

By enabling vans to be routed between thousands of ‘virtual’ bus stops, Mercedes say this approach to public transit will help reduce traffic volume in cities without requiring the construction of costly new infrastructure.

The joint venture will operate as a new entity with headquarters in Amsterdam. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Via aim to introduce on-demand shared rides in Europe, with London as the first city to launch the service.

Other European metropolises will soon follow.

The joint venture will in the future cooperate on the further development of intelligent mobility, including optimizing the design of Mercedes-Benz Vans vehicles for shared ride use.

The models mainly used will be the Vito Tourer (up to nine seats) and the V-Class (up to eight seats) being continuously adapted for this intended use. Beyond developing advanced software and sensors, another focus of the long term strategic partnership lies on the use of the locally emission-free electric-drive Mercedes-Benz Vito and autonomous driving.