Three Volkswagen centers dedicated to the future, where design and digital come together in one division: is the initiative announced today in Geneva by Matthias Müller, willing to invest even on electrification and technological development.
Three locations for the future. the three “Volkswagen Group future Center” will be located in Germany (in Potsdam, already open), California (where the work the Electronics technical Research Lab Belmont) and China: new facilities will host the designers led by new Head Michael Mauer – former Porsche – and numerous technology experts, hired to design “the cars of tomorrow.” “We are realigning the Group to prepare for the digital age,” said Müller, recalling the acceleration on autonomous driving and aims to launch it on the market “before the competition: we want change and we are moving ahead.” The three high-tech facilities will deal with human-machine interfaces, new concepts, infotainment systems and software.
The transformation in mobility provider. Like the Ford’s Mark Fields , Wolfsburg aims to become “a mobility provider” in the round: “I am convinced that by 2025 we will be the leader,” said the new head Department of digital strategy Johann Jungwirth , manager with a background in research and development of Mercedes-Benz and recently snatched from Apple. The new horizon is transformed into core business also developing “software and services” according Jungwirth, Volkswagen has already “hardware”, the cars, and therefore the breakthrough digital should be almost a natural thing.
electric novelty. In Geneva, Müller also confirmed the twenty new electric models and plug-ins to be launched within four years: “By the end of the decade will be able to exceed 500 km range and recharging will last as much as a coffee break – has said the CEO – in the long term, un’elettrica will cost less than a car with an internal combustion engine. ” The two technologies “coexist” for a while ‘: However, to achieve the goal will serve an appropriate infrastructure, a theme to which the manager has also appealed to the policy.
The dieselgate. in all this, Müller could not fail to mention the emissions scandal: “we will succeed only by learning from the mistakes of the past – said the CEO – the 2016 is the year in which we want to solve the problem of diesel. They are firmly convinced that the Group and the Volkswagen brand will emerge from this difficult phase stronger than before. ” Müller also mentioned European references, started in Germany with 2.0 TDI engines of the Amarok pick-up and are now ready to involve the Passat. Finally, the information on dieselgate and “responsibilities”, scheduled for the second half of April: the document, Müller said, will serve to “draw the right consequences” and guide the upcoming decisions of the Group.
David Comunello
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