Just recently, the American company Argo, which focused on the development of autonomous driving technologies, announced its closure. Some of the company’s employees are said to be hired by Argo’s two biggest investors, Volkswagen and Ford, and it appears the German automaker is not bothered by bankruptcy at all. Despite its $2.6 billion investment in Argo, the Wolfsburg-based automaker believes it’s on track to launch mainstream autonomous vehicles by the end of the decade.
VW boss Thomas Schafer recently commented on the matter and said the automaker is “consolidating its development partnerships” without giving further details. However, Schafer said there were major challenges for the industry as a whole, but investment should not stop as VW needs to be early in the game.
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“We have to focus on [autonomous driving] and that’s why we push so hard in the CV division, because once that happens, it opens up pools of profit and opportunity. I wouldn’t say winner take all, but it’s a game to get to early. You can’t wait and then fast forward, that’s why we’re totally focused on that,” Schafer told Autocar.
Interestingly, Volkswagen will rely on its commercial vehicle division to lead the company’s autonomous strategy. This department is currently working on a fully standalone version of the ID. Buzz, which should be deployed as a robotaxi and delivery vehicle by the middle of the decade. It is still in the early stages of development and Volkswagen is currently evaluating whether this vehicle needs a steering wheel or not.
VW’s program is set to kick off in Hamburg, Germany, where the company currently operates ID-based autonomous test vehicles. Buzz. If all goes as planned, the service will then expand to 50 more cities in Europe and North America by 2030. By then, Volkswagen hopes it will also have consumer automated vehicles at offer to its customers.
Just recently, the American company Argo, which focused on the development of autonomous driving technologies, announced its closure. Some of the company’s employees are said to be hired by Argo’s two biggest investors, Volkswagen and Ford, and it appears the German automaker is not bothered by bankruptcy at all. Despite its $2.6 billion investment in Argo, the Wolfsburg-based automaker believes it’s on track to launch mainstream autonomous vehicles by the end of the decade.
VW boss Thomas Schafer recently commented on the matter and said the automaker is “consolidating its development partnerships” without giving further details. However, Schafer said there were major challenges for the industry as a whole, but investment should not stop as VW needs to be early in the game.
ten Pictures
“We have to focus on [autonomous driving] and that’s why we push so hard in the CV division, because once that happens, it opens up pools of profit and opportunity. I wouldn’t say winner take all, but it’s a game to get to early. You can’t wait and then fast forward, that’s why we’re totally focused on that,” Schafer told Autocar.
Interestingly, Volkswagen will rely on its commercial vehicle division to lead the company’s autonomous strategy. This department is currently working on a fully standalone version of the ID. Buzz, which should be deployed as a robotaxi and delivery vehicle by the middle of the decade. It is still in the early stages of development and Volkswagen is currently evaluating whether this vehicle needs a steering wheel or not.
VW’s program is set to kick off in Hamburg, Germany, where the company currently operates ID-based autonomous test vehicles. Buzz. If all goes as planned, the service will then expand to 50 more cities in Europe and North America by 2030. By then, Volkswagen hopes it will also have consumer automated vehicles at offer to its customers.