VW Admits It Will Take Years To Perfect Autonomous Cars And EVs

Volkswagen has admitted that it will take years to perfect autonomous, electric and connected vehicles.

Speaking to AutoNews at the Technology in Motion conference in Detroit, VW senior vice president of e-mobility, Buckhard Huhnke said getting the new age of vehicles “nearly to perfection” will take some time.

“The car is something we’ve done great in the past 100 years. Where we have to learn is the mobility services ecosystem,” Huhnke admitted.

The brand’s first venture into this sphere will happen when its I.D. hatchback launches in 2020 with an all-electric powertrain, autonomous driving capabilities and connected vehicle features.

Underpinning the Golf-sized EV will be a distinctive electric modular architecture, set to be used by a host of next-generation VWs. According to Huhnke, this platform will support over-the-air updates and allow electric vehicle ride-sharing to kick off.

“We realized you need to have the chance of continuous updates to keep your car fresh, even activating cruise control or an autopilot feature, this is the platform we’re going to be providing in the future,” he said.

In the meantime, the car manufacturer will release a revised I.D. Crozz concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show.