Democratisation of progress. In future, Volkswagen – and this is also typically pioneering for the brand – will integrate highly innovative software and the associated functions and services in all vehicle classes. Buyers of the relevant models and the company will benefit from the Group’s large economies of scale. Because these make the most progressive systems affordable – this is the democratisation of progress in a new form.
The start of a new era. A future highlight of this democratisation of progress will be the all-electric volume model Trinity, which is planned from 2026. With this completely new high-tech electric saloon, Volkswagen aims to make automated driving accessible to a wide clientele.
IQ.DRIVE – the present. Volkswagen currently brings together assist systems for partly automated driving under the umbrella brand IQ.DRIVE; these are functions that can be activated by the driver. Conventional “manual” driving will therefore remain the starting scenario in personal transportation. Thanks to the current Travel Assist – available in the Polo (new model), ID.3, Golf, ID.4, Tiguan, Passat, Arteon and Touareg product lines – journeys at level 2 with automated lateral and longitudinal guidance are already part of everyday driving in Volkswagen vehicles. At level 2, the driver must continuously monitor the systems.
Levels 3 and 4 – the future. In the medium term, Volkswagen will continue to drive forward automation with vehicle projects like the Trinity. Over the course of the years, the scale will range here from level 3 (highly automated driving; the driver no longer has to monitor continuously but must be potentially able to intervene) up to level 4 (fully automated driving; no driver is needed in the specific application). In the long term, automated driving level 5 (from start to destination without a driver) will be implemented – Volkswagen provided a preview of this with the avant-garde Gran Turismo concept car, the ID.VIZZION. As one of the first volume manufacturers worldwide, Volkswagen has already laid the digital foundation for this new age – with its latest electronic and software architecture.