Stories Technology
-
Travel Assist surroundings display with Benny Leuchter
Pro racer Benjamin Leuchter drives a Golf R in everyday life. But it isn’t just the car’s 235 kW (320 PS) that drew him in: Leuchter appreciates the new Golf’s assistance systems. -
“Ranges of over 500 kilometres will soon be a matter of course”
Prof. Maximilian Fichtner is an internationally renowned expert in battery technology. In an interview, he talks about improved battery systems, alternatives to the use of cobalt and the climate advantage of e-cars. -
Hello ID. Light! – How the new ID. models communicate with the vehicle occupants via a light strip
Digital assistants are increasingly taking over our everyday lives. They are the little helpers that play us our favourite songs on demand, tell us the weather or control the heating and lights in our homes. They often show whether they are receiving or communicating directly with us by means of a coloured light ring. This feature has also arrived in the latest generation of electric vehicles, the ID. family, in a very similar form – as ID. Light. This is a narrow light strip under the windscreen designed to intuitively assist the vehicle occupants. The ID. Light uses different light pulses to signal whether the car is ready to drive, which direction – according to the navigation system – it should turn next or whether the battery is currently being charged. -
How Volkswagen is becoming a climate-neutral company
“The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time,” says Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen was the first automaker to commit to the Paris climate agreement back in 2018. By 2050, the company aims to be balance sheet CO₂ neutral. This dossier explains the efforts Volkswagen is making to protect the climate in many areas: in its products, in production and together with partners. -
Power Day makes headlines
More than one million people worldwide followed the Volkswagen Group's two-hour event live. The media response was also varied and extremely positive. -
UBS study: Volkswagen joint world leader for electric cars as early as 2022
Well able to compete with Tesla, and a benchmark for other car manufacturers: that is how Patrick Hummel, Head of European and US Auto & Mobility Research at UBS, assesses the MEB electric platform from Volkswagen. For a study on behalf of UBS, “ID.3 teardown: The biggest EV opportunity – Buy“, published on March 2, specialists broke down the fully electric ID.3 into its individual parts. The result: The ID.3 based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB), is Volkswagen’s entry ticket to the electric age and the most impressive solution available from an established automotive company. -
“The Perfect Combination.”
As project leader on the development of the “We Score” app for the new Golf, Julius Merkel was right in his element: after all, cars and football are his great passions. The 24-year-old also possesses important characteristics, thanks to his hobby, in which he is regularly made the scapegoat. -
"The Automated Driving Platform is a customized tool".
The Car.Software Organization and Microsoft will build the Automated Driving Platform (ADP), a cloud-based platform for the development of automated driving and parking functions. For the Volkswagen Group’s software company, the platform will be an important foundation with regard to the efficient development of customer functions for passenger cars. In an interview, Dirk Hilgenberg, CEO of the Car.Software Organisation, explains why this step is important and what ADP is all about. -
Perfectly equipped for the winter with 4MOTION all-wheel drive
4MOTION all-wheel drive by Volkswagen is a successful piece of technology with many different facets. The current extreme weather conditions present the ideal opportunity to take a more in-depth look at the technology and also take a brief look back. -
A car for all occasions
Plenty of space for family and leisure, compact for city traffic, and comfortable over longer journeys – there’s really nothing the new Volkswagen ID.4 can’t do. -
From old to new – Battery recycling in Salzgitter
Something is happening in Salzgitter that has never been seen before in the Volkswagen Group – the first plant for recycling used electric car batteries is beginning operations. We look back at the development of this innovative and sustainable process. -
“Every battery has to prove its safety in 5,000 tests”
Driving electric means driving safely: Before the battery systems of modern e-cars from Volkswagen hit the road, they have passed a lifetime of comprehensive safety checks. Dr. Michal Bruna is Head of Electronics Development and Testing at the Battery Development Center of Volkswagen Group Components in Brunswick. He explains what release tests the energy storage devices have to undergo. -
CES: From tech gadgets to digital mobility
Since its founding in 1967, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has become the leading trade show for digital mobility. To mark the start of the first purely digital CES: a look back at highlights from the last 53 years. -
“We share a love of cars.”
At Volkswagen, designing a new model always involves a large team. That was no different in the case of the new Golf: designers from a diverse range of disciplines helped to shape the car and contributed to the design of the Golf with their own individual skills, experience and passions. We spent a day with two such designers, discovering what moves them, what inspires them, and what drives them. “People shaping the Golf”, part 3 – Astrid Göring and Tomasz Bachorski on their favourite places in Wolfsburg and Braunschweig. -
Fascination in just three letters
With the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Volkswagen launched a sports car for everyone in 1976, hitting the pulse of the time. We look back and show how the sports car from Wolfsburg has developed from generation to generation. -
“I sometimes think: Wow, we’re designing the future!”
At Volkswagen, designing a new model always involves a large team. That was no different in the case of the new Golf: designers from a diverse range of disciplines helped to shape the car and contributed to the design of the Golf with their own individual skills, experience and passions. We spent a day with two such designers, discovering what moves them, what inspires them, and what drives them. “People shaping the Golf”, part 2 – Koukou Nian and Marco Pavone on the road in Wolfsburg. -
“Design is a team sport”
At Volkswagen, designing a new model always involves a large team. That was no different in the case of the new Golf: designers from a diverse range of disciplines helped to shape the car and contributed to the design of the Golf with their own individual skills, experience and passions. We spent a day with two such designers, discovering what moves them, what inspires them, and what drives them. “People shaping the Golf”, part 1: Volkswagen designers Ingo Brückmann and Mathias Kuhn meet Klaus Zyciora, Head of Volkswagen Group Design, at the Volkswagen Group Future Center in Potsdam, from where they set off on a tour of their home city: Berlin. -
Internal competition: Three designs for the Auto 2050
E-mobility and digitalization are revolutionizing our vehicles. At Volkswagen, the winners of a design competition for the ID.3 of the year 2050 have now been announced. Their designs impress with their high level of aerodynamics, spacious interior and freedom to enjoy. -
"We're looking for the supercell!"
When Tim Dagger decided to study chemistry in 2008, there was initially little indication of a career in the automotive industry. Then electric mobility became increasingly important – and Tim bet on the right horse. “Since 2012 I have been working on lithium-ion technology. It makes me very happy to see how the technology is now helping electric cars penetrate the mass market,” says Tim. -
Volkswagen designers are creating even more digitally
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Volkswagen designers’ have been working even more frequently in the form of virtual reality. Many business trips are no longer necessary. This makes designing new cars not only more digital but also more climate friendly. -
“The design of the ID.4 saves customers hard cash”
With the ID.4, Volkswagen presents the brand’s first fully electric SUV. The car is built and sold in Europe, China and later in the USA. In an interview, Klaus Zyciora, Head of Volkswagen Group Design, explains how to design a vehicle for different markets – and how customers benefit. -
Following three comes four: Series production of the ID.4 begins in Zwickau
The ID. family gets new blood: With the start of series production of the ID.4, Volkswagen’s first fully-electric SUV celebrates its production start at the Zwickau plant, only virtually on the Internet due to Corona, but the guestlist is nevertheless prominent: In addition to brand CEO Ralf Brandstätter and E-Mobility Director Thomas Ulbrich, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) also congratulated Volkswagen on the second ID. Model “Made in Saxony”. The ID.4 is also a milestone for automobile production: Like its predecessor the ID.3, the e-model will be manufactured and delivered in a CO2-neutral manner. -
Corrosion protection at Volkswagen: Twelve years in “fast forward” mode
Volkswagen engineers simulate the ageing process of a car in just six months to reproduce 12 years of car ownership by a customer. We explain the corrosion protection measures that apply for all Volkswagen models – classic combustion engine models as well as the new electric models from the ID. range. -
The benchmark of its time – for decades
Clear lines, pure design – the new Volkswagen was a revolution in 1974. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who created a genuine icon. Since then, the Golf has inspired time and time again – the latest generation, the eighth, was designed by Volkswagen Group Chief Designer, Klaus Bischoff, and his team. 46 years passed between the first and the latest model. The two designers were faced with very different challenges, and yet one question connects them both: how do you create a design that stands the test of time? -
Car2X in the new Golf: A “technological milestone”
German Automotive Association ADAC tested one of its functionalities, traffic hazard alert, and called it a “technological milestone”. Euro NCAP, as an independent organisation, has particularly honoured it – with the “Advanced Award”, the special award for ground-breaking safety features. -
“The MEB is a decisive plus point”
The battery is considered the heart of modern electric cars. Frank Blome heads the Battery Cell business unit at Volkswagen Group Components. In an interview, he explains how the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) works and what progress can be expected in battery technology. -
The big cost comparison: e-car vs. combustion engine
The ID.3 is intended to make e-mobility affordable and practical for everyone. For customers, its total costs are already on a par with those of comparable combustion engine vehicles – and even lower. -
Battery or fuel cell, that is the question
E-battery or hydrogen – what is the most sustainable mobility strategy? We explain where, according to the current state of play, the decisive advantages of the e-drive system lie in comparison to the fuel cell. And why Volkswagen’s decision to consistently promote e-mobility is the right one. -
Lithium mining: What you should know about the contentious issue
Electric cars are significant contributors to climate protection – but the mining of lithium for the batteries is often criticized. The discussion focuses on the extraction of raw materials in the South American salt deserts. Questions and answers for a more informed debate. -
Fact-finding expedition to the lithium desert of Chile
Does lithium mining harm the inhabitants of the Atacama Desert in Chile? Repeated reports have been published – but for a reliable overall picture the facts are not available. Franziska Killiches, an expert for sustainable raw materials procurement at Volkswagen, therefore set out to investigate the matter herself. -
“Programming things no one has ever programmed before”
Nadja Bogdanova works as a UX/UI designer at Volkswagen’s Smart.Production:Lab working on the interface between users and software developers. -
“Our hybrids combine the best of both worlds”
Many new Volkswagen brand models’ feature an electric motor in addition to a conventional drive. In an interview, Frank Welsch, Board Member for Development, explains the advantages of hybrid vehicles. -
The customer decides which technology meets their requirements
At the Volkswagen brand, cars such as the Golf GTE and the Touareg R celebrate their world premieres. In an interview, COO Ralf Brandstätter talks about the further development of various drive systems and the switch to climate-friendly e-mobility. -
Powering into the future with a single gear
February 29, 2020 is a leap year day. We show how Volkswagen Group revolutionized the automatic transmission with the DSG dual-clutch transmission and and how to change gear on the e-drive. -
On the trail of the future
To explore technologies and discover trends that will shape the future – that is the mission of Florian Neukart, Director of Advanced Technologies and IT Innovation at Volkswagen Group of America. -
“This data is doubly valuable”
The “Lower Saxony testing ground” has been taken into operation between Wolfsburg and Brunswick (Braunschweig). Volkswagen is also using this new, 7 km test route. There are two reasons for this: in the short term, the aim is to gain further knowledge for assisted driving such as Car2X, and in the longer term the software for developing automated driving is to be improved. -
The future begins in Los Angeles
With the “Building an Electric Future” exhibition, Volkswagen and the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles are offering an insight into the development of the mobility of tomorrow. -
New Volkswagen – how does a global brand reinvent itself?
New drive technology, new design, new logo. Volkswagen practically reinvented itself last year. “New Volkswagen” is an expression of this. -
SUV offensive: How we are strengthening the core business
In 2019, SUVs were fully on-trend. In line with this, Volkswagen celebrated two milestones, unveiled its smallest vehicle in the segment, and will in future be focusing on zero-emission SUVs. -
How we are expanding our model range
The year 2019 was dominated by transformation and product offensives. Volkswagen is thus pursuing the major goal of transforming its fleet to e-mobility while at the same time, further expanding its market share and profitability. -
This is how the ID.3 sounds
How should a car sound that drives almost silently? The Volkswagen sound designers from the team of Design Manager Klaus Bischoff asked themselves the same question. The results are very impressive. -
“We” Ecosystem: How we are networking the world
In 2019, flexible mobility services were in high demand. Volkswagen therefore expanded its offering and will continue developing new value-added services at a central location going forward. -
Electromobility: Why we are focusing on E
With the ID.3, Volkswagen is ushering in a new era – that of mass electric mobility. -
Innovation in all walks of life
The eighth generation of the Volkswagen Golf is ready and waiting. And, like its predecessors, it features a wealth of technical innovations. The new generation demonstrates its qualities on an initial test drive through northern Portugal. -
This much space is possible
The ID. SPACE VIZZION is the seventh member of the ID. family. Now the study has been presented to a global audience for the first time. -
15 Laptops are steering this Golf
Since March 2019 Volkswagen has been testing autonomous driving on public roads in Hamburg with five converted e-Golf. By 2025, a self-driving system should be ready for the markets. -
Realtime safety with UWB
From new anti-theft protection to comfort and security applications: Volkswagen presents future utilization areas for socalled “Ultra-Wideband technology” (UWB). -
Driving at the limit
They are driving on a Portuguese race track: Volkswagen development engineers with autonomous driving cars. The independent motor journalist Michael Gebhardt was there and even got in the car. -
Battery cell assembly: pilot line started
The pilot line for battery cell assembly in Salzgitter is running. Lithium-ion battery cells are produced in the state of Lower-Saxony, about twenty kilometers south-west of Braunschweig. The “Center of Excellence” plays a key-role in Volkswagen Group. With copy, one video and five info graphics we give you the eighteen most important answers. -
“Self-driving Cars Present a Great Opportunity”
Alexander Hitzinger, Board of Management member for Development at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, is responsible for developing autonomous driving at the Volkswagen Group. In an interview, he talks about the cooperation with Ford, technological challenges and future business models. -
"We want to establish MEB as an industry standard"
Volkswagen and Ford intensify their strategic alliance. In an interview, Volkswagen’s CEO explains the Group’s three strategic goals. -
"The smile comes automatically"
When Klaus Bischoff, Chief Designer of the Volkswagen brand, talks about the ID. BUGGY, he gets enthousiastic. An interview about old vehicles, new design and emotional e-cars. -
Goal: five stars!
As part of NCAP crash tests, each car must meet different requirements. The requirements vary from country to country. This poses major challenges for international carmakers like Volkswagen. -
"I’ve got 1,500 cars in Berlin"
WeShare – the pure electric car sharing from Volkswagen – has been launched. Vanessa Petre Linbenciuc has already tried out the sustainable ervice in Berlin. A field report. -
The new Passat: interview with the project leader
Presales for the new Passat have started. A young team has taken the task of perfecting the successful mid-range model. The outcome is something to be proud of. -
WLTP gets stricter
The process will be modified again in September. We have answers on the five most important questions plus a video. -
The extent of our cars’ connectivity
Modern vehicles are becoming ever more digital and intelligent. In addition, all systems and functions have to be networked, so software is playing an increasingly important role. Volkswagen board member Frank Welsch explains how this is changing the way developers work. -
The new Golf: with 48V technology
If not the Golf, then who? The eighth-generation of the bestseller will feature a new electrified drive system. We explain facts and functions of the socalled „mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle“-Systems („mHEV“) with 48 volt technology. -
Six advantages of the MEB
Volkswagen has opened its modular electric drive matrix (German abbreviation: "MEB") to other manufacturers. This makes production cheaper, but also offers further advantages. You will find the six most important ones below: -
The Vehicle will become our living space
The car of the future will become our intelligent assistant: it will prepare the journey for us, support us and understand what we want. The experts at Volkswagen Electronics Development are working hard to make this goal a reality. Part 4 of our series on user experience trends. -
When your Car Becomes your Travel Guide
The car of the future will understand us: it will respond to our language and gestures. If there are problems, we’ll get the right tip at the right time. The experts at Volkswagen Electronics Development are working hard to make this goal a reality. Part 3 of our series on user experience trends. -
When your car massages you
The car of the future will assist us: it will help us wake up and relax, safely guide us through traffic and appeal to our senses in optimal fashion. The experts at Volkswagen Electronics Development are working hard to make this goal a reality. Part 2 of our series on user experience trends. User Experience, short "UX", refers to all impressions and experiences that customers make when dealing with a product or service, for example when operating a car. UX-Design has the task to make the use as intuitive and simple as possible. Computer scientists, psychologists, and electrical engineers are working closely together in this field. -
For the lifetime of a car
Frank Blome heads Volkswagen’s Center of Excellence for Battery Cells. In this interview he explains how batteries are changing the automobile, what drivers should know about charging their e-cars and what advances we can expect to see in the next generations of battery technology. -
Four world premieres in Shanghai
The curiosity is immense. The stage is even bigger. And the surprises were a great success, too. Volkswagen presented an incredible four world premieres in a single evening, on the eve of the Auto Shanghai. “That’s not normal,” says marketing chief Jürgen Stackmann, his face beaming. “I can not remember ever experiencing a night like this.” -
When your car is waiting for you
The car of the future will be as attuned to our needs as a personal assistant. It will know our wishes, entertain us, even speak with us. The experts at Volkswagen Electronics Development are working hard to make this goal a not-too-distant reality. This is the first sequence of our new series on user experience. User Experience, short "UX", refers to all impressions and experiences that customers make when dealing with a product or service, for example when operating a car. UX-Design has the task to make the use as intuitive and simple as possible. Computer scientists, psychologists, and electrical engineers are working closely together in this field. -
Is lithium replaceable?
Why is lithium so important for the production of electric car batteries? How will Volkswagen secure a sustainable supply chain? We provide the answers and explain with five graphics the importance of this well-sought after alkali metal. -
Travelling with radar and laser
More than a few denizens of the city have been pleasantly astonished by the sight of autonomous e-Golfs* driving on the streets of Hamburg. The driver only grabs the wheel in exceptional circumstances. The car is testing autonomous driving! -
"April Fool!": The optical revolution
A new feature called OOPS, which allows car drivers to safely do without their glasses while driving? As you probably realized, the innovation we reported on yesterday, on 1st of April, under the headline "Get a clear view" was not meant to be serious. -
Get a clear view!
Today, Volkswagen will start installing a new innovative front screen. It targets all those who would like to do without their glasses whilst driving. -
The magic of the mix
Volkswagen is banking on electric cars to achieve overall carbon-neutral mobility. We explain why the energy mix is so important. And how the company is already using and offering sustainable electricity. -
Lithium to lithium, manganese to manganese
In the future, Volkswagen will offer e-mobility for all – and will assume overall responsibility: from the concepts for the vehicles, through production, sales and operations on to recycling. For this reason, a pilot plant for battery recycling is currently being set up at Salzgitter factory, south-west of Braunschweig, Germany. -
Likeable, discreet, and pure
What’s the aesthetic core values of the ID. family? What role does augmented reality play in daily work? And which is his favourite member of the ID. Family? Volkswagen chief designer Klaus Bischoff gives the answers, in writing and in a video. -
The mega potential of the supply chain
Volkswagen is doing everything in its power to make its contribution to achieving the Paris climate targets. CO2-neutral components and raw materials play an important role. Check this overview and three info graphics. -
Clean mobility: It's possible!
Volkswagen wants to do its part for climate protection. The road to getting there leads through a holistic e-mobility concept. Read all about the most important facts, together with two videos and five info graphics. -
"We are open to e-collaboration"
Volkswagen is ready to open its new MEB electric platform to other manufacturers, thus reducing the costs of electric cars. Michael Jost, Head of Strategy for Volkswagen, highlighted this approach. -
A triumph for the automatic
Revolution in carmaking: 15 years ago, Volkswagen introduced the first direct-shift gearbox. The DSG was the first large-scale series production automatic that was more efficient than a manual. -
Let there be light!
In its lighting competence center Volkswagen is working hard on developing the light of the future. The engineers, lighting designers, software developers, electronics engineers, and researchers working in Wolfsburg have now presented the fruits of their work to the general public for the first time. -
3D printing in action
3D printing is increasingly making its presence felt in automobile production. Such printing processes are already being used to build prototypes and make tools. Volkswagen has now joined forces with the technology company HP to use 3D metal printing in mass production. -
Totally digital
From DigiFiz to Active Info Display – development of the digital cockpit -
Volkswagen We: Digital on the road
A platform for digital mobility services - what could it look like? The Volkswagen We ecosystem shows how it works. It can already be used today. -
“Design has to be experienced with all senses.”
The Head of Volkswagen Design, Klaus Bischoff, on the new tasks for designers, the challenges posed by the transformation of mobility and why the C-pillar of the Golf is one of the most important assets of the company. -
Automatically bound for the future
The history of autonomous driving at Volkswagen -
Light years
Volkswagen’s journey from the functional headlight to customised light scenarios -
Formula Student Germany: They’re off!
The Formula Student Germany is one of the most important competitions for budding engineers who build racing cars alongside their studies. Here’s how the team from TU Hamburg is preparing for it – with the support of Volkswagen.
