Hamburg-based start-up Vay has successfully demonstrated its tele-driving solution, putting the first car on Europe’s public roads without a human in the vehicle, tech.eu reports.

“We have been remotely driving electric cars on public roads in Berlin and Hamburg for more than three years.”

explains CEO and co-founder Thomas von der Ohe.

The difference is that while Vay remotely drives cars that use a range of sensors, they do so with a real live human driver to ensure safety.

After receiving approval from TÜV SÜD, a branch of the German association for rigorous technical inspections, the German Road Traffic and Mobility Authority (BVM) granted Vay an exemption permit, paving the way for the Vay startup.

“This is a huge success for the entire team, but also for Hamburg and Europe. In the context of legally enabling new technologies, this is a significant step and Germany is making leaps in taking the global lead in teledriving technology,”

said von der Ohe.

Starting in 2022 (and make that in 2023), Hamburgers have the ability to order a ride, with a teledriver delivering the car to the customer within a few minutes. From there, it’s up to the customer to drive themselves to their chosen destination, but upon arrival, forget about finding a place to park, as a Vay teledriver will then resume control of the car and either parks it or carries on to the next customer, explains tech.eu

The company has made no secret of its desire to eventually move beyond the teleprompter and rely on autonomous driving features in the system when safe and permitted.