By Frank Johannsen, dpa I March 20, 2024
BAVARIA – German auto giant Volkswagen will expand its partnership with the Israel-based Intel subsidiary Mobileye to bring new automatic driving assistance functions, the companies announced on Wednesday.
The technology, which will be installed in Volkswagen’s high-end luxury and sports brands, will allow vehicles to overtake autonomously on the motorway and stop automatically at traffic lights, according to the companies.
Vehicles receiving the Mobileye autonomous driving technology will be from Volkswagen’s Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche brands.
Volkswagen did not give a date for the roll-out of the new features, but said that further functions would be added at a later date, including the ability for the car to temporarily take over the steering wheel itself.
“New automated driving functions will significantly boost convenience and safety,” said Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume.
The cooperation in automated driving with Bosch and Qualcomm and with Horizon Robotics in China would continue in a focused manner, Blume said.
Volkswagen and Mobileye have been working together for years.
Blume, who is also the chief executive of the Porsche sports car subsidiary, strengthened the cooperation after taking over as leader of the overall Volkswagen Group.
Mobileye is already a partner of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles subsidiary, which makes lorries and buses, in the development of a fully autonomous ID Buzz electric van.
Volkswagen plans to extend that collaboration with Mobileye, the company announced, with Mobileye now slated to supply further technology components for autonomous driving.
A driverless electric van is set to go into series production in 2026, with Volkswagen planning to use the vehicle to launch a robotaxi service, initially in the northern German city of Hamburg, beginning in 2026.
Unlike his predecessor, Herbert Diess, Blume is increasingly relying on external partners when it comes to software.
Diess had primarily focused on building in-house software and founded a software division within Volkswagen, known as Cariad.
But delays in completing software programme codes caused issues for vehicle model launches, such as the Audi Q6 e-tron and all-electric model of the Porsche Macan, both of which will hit the market this year, two years behind schedule.
After taking over as head of the Volkswagen Group in September 2022, Blume called for a new strategy for the software subsidiary and also replaced the Cariad management team.
