Photo: Volkswagen
Ever heard of the Volkswagen OS? Of course not, because it doesn’t exist yet, not really. But it will, as the German auto giant plans to create a specialized unit to develop most of the software it needs in-house.
The present software supply chain at Volkswagen is a mess. Given its gargantuan size, the carmaker relies on 200 different companies to provide it with the software required for the cars to run, and deploys 70 control units in its vehicles. Only 10 percent of the software used in VW cars is made in-house.
Aside from being a headache, this state of facts is also expensive.
Volkswagen plans to change this and announced on Tuesday (June 18) the creation of the Car.Software unit. By 2025, this organization will comprise 5,000 software engineers, all tasked with getting the percentage of in-house built software from 10 to 60 percent.
The most important task of the group will be the creation of the so-called vw.os operating system and the integration of the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud in all the vehicles VW sells. These efforts will begin as soon as this fall, when the ID.3 running on the new integrated software platform will be launched.
By 2025, all of the group’s cars are to run on the same platform.
“We will develop software with uniform basic functions for all Group brands, which will allow us to drastically reduce complexity. In the medium term, we will benefit from the scale effects of our Group,” said in a statement Christian Senger, Volkswagen Digital Car and Services manager.
The 5,000 people Volkswagen needs for the task include experts in software development, electrical and electronics development, connectivity, automated driving, user experience (UX), cloud architecture and e-commerce.
They will create integrated software aimed at five main areas: operating system and connectivity, body and cockpit, automated driving, energey and vehicle performance and mobility services.
The German company will start by bringing on board 500 people this year, and will expand the workforce to 2,000 in 2020.
Aside from being a headache, this state of facts is also expensive.
Volkswagen plans to change this and announced on Tuesday (June 18) the creation of the Car.Software unit. By 2025, this organization will comprise 5,000 software engineers, all tasked with getting the percentage of in-house built software from 10 to 60 percent.
The most important task of the group will be the creation of the so-called vw.os operating system and the integration of the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud in all the vehicles VW sells. These efforts will begin as soon as this fall, when the ID.3 running on the new integrated software platform will be launched.
By 2025, all of the group’s cars are to run on the same platform.
“We will develop software with uniform basic functions for all Group brands, which will allow us to drastically reduce complexity. In the medium term, we will benefit from the scale effects of our Group,” said in a statement Christian Senger, Volkswagen Digital Car and Services manager.
The 5,000 people Volkswagen needs for the task include experts in software development, electrical and electronics development, connectivity, automated driving, user experience (UX), cloud architecture and e-commerce.
They will create integrated software aimed at five main areas: operating system and connectivity, body and cockpit, automated driving, energey and vehicle performance and mobility services.
The German company will start by bringing on board 500 people this year, and will expand the workforce to 2,000 in 2020.
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