Volkswagen Presents its Vision of Future Mobility at ITS

Volkswagen will present its vision of future mobility led by electrification, data and autonomous driving technology this week.

Its strategy will be outlined at the ITS World Congress in Hamburg, Germany, with live demonstrations of its pilot projects, discussion panels, lectures and expert talks. The automaker sees autonomous driving as one of the key technologies that enables new mobility solutions and improves road safety.

Autonomy

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Moia and Argo AI are currently testing an autonomous ridesharing system in a pilot project in Hamburg, which is planned to go into series production in 2025. At the conference, Moia will use an interactive simulation to show how large-fleet autonomous ridesharing can contribute to the mobility revolution. Using a 1:2 model of the ID.Buzz.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also allow visitors to experience various usage scenarios of self-driving shuttles for the transportation of goods and people. MAN Truck & Bus and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) will present the results of their joint “Hamburg TruckPilot” project. The two companies have demonstrated in the HHLA container terminal Altenwerder that the use of autonomous trucks is technologically possible in real-world applications and that they can be integrated into logistics processes.

Intelligent data

Cariad will provide insights into data-based services that help improve traffic safety and flow at the World Congress. For example, anonymized data from VW group vehicles already enable authorities in Europe and the US to improve road maintenance and winter services. By 2030, up to 40 million group vehicles will be connected to the cloud, providing the basis for secure access to anonymized vehicle and environmental data. The automaker is also participating in the newly created Mobility Data Space, which will present initial use cases at the ITS. Via the data space, companies and organizations are able to exchange date securely and sovereignly in order to enable and advance innovative mobility concepts.

Electrification

Elli is creating an energy ecosystem around the vehicle, from wall boxes to digital services. At ITS, the group’s company will also demonstrate how electric vehicles are becoming part of the energy system as mobile storage devices through the use of high-voltage batteries. Bidirectional charging is also strengthening the driving role of e-mobility for the energy transition: self-generated electricity from renewable energy sources can be stored in the vehicle and fed back into the house as needed. Not only does this make customers less dependent on the public power grid, it also saves costs and CO2. The brands of the Volkswagen Group will probably offer this technology from 2022 onwards in models based on the MEB modular electric drive matrix.

Gernot Döllner, senior vice-president group strategy at Volkswagen, said: “Intelligent transportation systems play a key role in future-proof mobility in cities and beyond. They are the basic prerequisite for carbon-neutral, connected, safe and tailored mobility solutions and key factors in our NEW AUTO Group strategy. Together with our partners, we will make the mobility of people and goods even more efficient, sustainable and convenient.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_