Volkswagen focuses on the development of autonomous driving

Volkswagen is focusing its development activities on autonomous and highly automated driving.

In the field of autonomous driving as a service (MaaS/TaaS), the group is consolidating its development partnerships. Volkswagen will no longer invest in the US company Argo AI, the group said in a recent statement. In individual mobility, Cariad, VW's software division, will continue to drive the development of highly automated and autonomous driving together with Bosch and, in future, in China with Horizon Robotics.

"Especially in the development of future technologies, focus and speed are what count," says Oliver Blume, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, who explains the realignment of digital development at VW as follows: "Our goal is to offer our customers the most powerful functions at the earliest possible time and to set up our development as cost-efficiently as possible."

He added that the development of autonomous driving is a core component of the group's NEW AUTO strategy. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) is responsible for the implementation of this development within the Group, specifically for the Mobility and Transportation as a Service (MaaS / TaaS) areas, while the technology company Cariad is responsible for the development of partially and highly automated driving functions (up to SAE Level 4) for the Group's passenger car brands. Together with development partners, the two companies intend to further advance the development of autonomous driving technologies.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles expands cooperation
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is further expanding its cooperation with a partner to develop technology for its autonomous driving mobility fleets. This is to be announced shortly. According to the company, suitably equipped ID. Buzz prototypes are already being tested by this partner.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' goal for autonomous driving remains unchanged: In 2025, customers should be able to book the autonomous driving ID. Buzz in Hamburg in 2025. Christian Senger, Member of the Brand Board Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, responsible for MaaS/TaaS and AD (Mobility and Transport as a Service; Autonomous Driving) explains: "In the course of the cooperation with another partner, the cooperation within the Group for the development of highly automated and autonomous driving will also be strengthened."

Cariad will continue to drive the development of automated driving for individual mobility in the Automated Driving Alliance with Bosch, VW added. The companies want to make partially and highly automated driving suitable for the masses and available to everyone.

The aim is to make functions available for vehicles of the Volkswagen Group's brand groups that enable drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel explicitly at times. These are advanced driver assistance systems, so-called level 2 systems, for city, country and motorway, in which the driver is comprehensively supported by the vehicle, as well as a system in which the vehicle takes over the complete driving task on the motorway (SAE level 3). The first functions are to be implemented in 2023.

For the Chinese market, Cariad is also planning to cooperate with Horizon Robotics to advance the development of automated driving regionally in one of the world's most important growth markets. In the hardware area, the Group has also entered into a partnership with Qualcomm for high-performance chips for automated driving.