Software To Play A Major Role In Audi’s 2030 Strategy

In order to continue living up to Audi’s “Vorsprung durch Technik” (“Progress through Technology”) slogan in the future, the Board of Management spent the past few months formulating the company’s new “Vorsprung 2030” strategy. 

In the new 2030 strategy, CARIAD the group’s software arm plays an important role. CARIAD will develop a scalable software platform with a standardized operating system and cloud connectivity for all Volkswagen Group brands by 2025. “The E32.0 software platform will serve as the enabler of the synergies and innovations of the future, including autonomous driving,” explained Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi. While CARIAD is responsible for the technical implementation of software-based solutions, integrating them into the vehicle will be carried out by the respective brands in coordination with CARIAD.

The German carmaker has announced that starting in 2026, it would only launch new models on the global market that are equipped with electric drive systems. The company will gradually phase out production of its internal combustion engines between now and 2033.  The company is steadily increasing focus on software in the vehicles and autonomous driving. Alongside e-mobility, focal points of the Volkswagen Group’s strategy include enhancing connectivity, digital services, and expanding the use of internally programmed systems.

In the future, customers will be able to upgrade their vehicles and update or install subsystems as needed. Owners of vehicles with combustion engines in various countries will also receive exceptional service over their entire life cycle. “Our vehicles will be even more customer-centric, individualized, and sustainable thanks to intelligent hardware offered through our after-sales business,” said Hoffmann, explaining the decision.

Audi space frame, quattro, matrix LED headlights, and numerous patents related to e-mobility – the list of Audi innovations is long, and will become even longer in the future. Hoffmann, knows that the coming years will bring further highlights. “In the age of new mobility, we not only define “Vorsprung” as world-class engineering, state-of-the-art design, and a captivating digital experience. We don’t just think in terms of vehicles. In the future, the focus will increasingly be on holistic mobility solutions, including the surrounding infrastructure,” he explained.