Volkswagen Focusing on Connected and Cloud Services

As vehicle connectivity and advanced assistance systems become a ubiquitous part of today’s driving experience, researchers at Volkswagen Group’s Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) are developing intuitive forms of communications between driver, car and the external environment. ERL researchers are leveraging three elements crucial for connected driving—the car, mobile devices and cloud.

“The end-to-end user experience is the key success factor to providing more connected intelligence services to our customers,” said Chuhee Lee, Deputy Director, Volkswagen Group of America, Electronics Research Laboratory. “This means being in touch with customers in and out of the car using cloud and connected devices, and ultimately designing a vehicle capable of learning, predicting, and adapting to drivers’ needs and wishes.”

More future Volkswagen Group vehicles will offer technologies that seamlessly integrate smart phone applications and enable connected navigation with real-time map images and updates. The navigation systems would also mimic the expertise of a driving companion, familiar with both the driver and destination.

As part of Audi’s Intelligent Urban Mobility initiative, ERL researchers are also developing vehicle intelligence technologies that enable cars to identify the preferences and individual needs of drivers. For example, vehicles would connect to the cloud and understand the driver’s location, how it affects the driver’s mobility, and will provide assistance to the driver’s specific needs, such as routing the driver to an available parking spot.