Volkswagen Automotive Cloud
What is the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud?
When you think of “the cloud”, you may focus on documents, photos, and other media for work or at home. However, Volkswagen is taking the cloud to new levels with the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud, otherwise known as VW.AC.
Leading the Way in Automation
This automotive cloud isn’t a new concept for VW. In 2018, the company launched a partnership with Microsoft to develop what it hoped would become one of the largest clouds for the automotive industry. The company expects to manage data from millions of vehicles each day, providing a more connected experience to drivers.
Volkswagen plans to double the budget for spending on digital development to the tune of $28 billion over five years. This money will go toward the development of VW.AC as well as in-car operating system, which is VW.OS. It will also support advances in infotainment, performance, and comfort as well as automated driving.
Software plays an integral role in how people use and enjoy their vehicles. Volkswagen wants to use the automotive cloud to improve remote control, automatic updates, and electric vehicle charging, among other benefits.
VW.AC is based out of Seattle, which will enable Volkswagen to attract top computing talent to build software for the over 10 million car buyers each year. The company actively seeks to attract people with different backgrounds, believing that diversity is the leader for better experiences, ideas, and solutions. Currently, more than 90 percent of software is written by third parties. The goal for VW.AC is to write 60 percent of the software within the next few years.
Volkswagen sees an opportunity to leverage data in real-time as new applications are quickly built and integrated with a faster time to market.
The Vision for the Future
VW sees the automotive cloud as enhancing current services like emergency assistance and remote access to the vehicle. It can build new systems for navigation, parking, and automated driving. When it comes to electric, the goal is a navigation system that includes the location of charging stations and recommended stops to avoid drivers’ worry about range. The cloud could also provide data that would develop batteries with longer life and range while improving performance.
The result when all this technology is put into place is to provide even more personalized experiences for the customer while still enjoying the efficiency that comes with economies of scale. It becomes a win-win situation for everyone.
Moving in the Direction of Electric
Volkswagen is continually moving in its goal of being the leader in advanced automotive technology. The manufacturer has taken the next step with the introduction of the VW ID.4, an electric vehicle with an estimated range of 260 miles and a charging time of 62 miles in ten minutes at a public fast-charging station. This model has been named the 2021 World Car of the Year, showcasing Volkswagen’s commitment to excellence in electric power and automation.
Check out the current selection of VW vehicles at Burlington Volkswagen and make one of these models your own.