You’ve heard for Robocop, now check out Robotaxi – the nickname for the autonomous ride-sharing van by Volkswagen.

Based on the fully-electric VW ID Buzz minivan, Robotaxi is a joint venture between the Commercial Vehicle wing of the German brand and Ford.

The two have invested equally in Argo AI, a company that has specialised in software platforms for autonomous driving with the goal to create fast deployment and use of autonomous systems.

Volkswagen will start field tests of self-driving vehicles for ride-sharing in Germany this year using a highly automated version of the ID Buzz minivan.

This is as part of a plan to launch self-driving vehicles for ride-sharing and pooling uses in 2025.

The development of the Robotaxi service is part of VW Group's five-year investment of €27 billion in digital applications that include autonomous driving.

"In the middle of this decade, our customers will then have the opportunity to be taken to their destination in selected cities with autonomous vehicles," said Christian Senger, VW's head of autonomous driving.

A VW Commercial Vehicles spokesman said it was too early to say whether private individuals would be allowed to participate in the pilot phase.