Volkswagen is planning a pilot program that will test charging as you go functions for on-demand features.
The test program will be run on ID.3 EVs in six German cities later this year. The automaker suggests that it could offer things like navigation services “as needed,” per Autocar.
“Today you can get infotainment functions on demand, and there are features that can be activated like ACC [adaptive cruise control],” said Klaus Zellmer, VW’s sales boss. “Now if you have an ID.3 in the future, features such as travel assist, stop and go, lane assist, and ACC can be added on top.”
Features like adaptive cruise control help the car take over more of the driving duties on the highway. The additions are made possible thanks to the capacity for over-the-air updates.
Also Read: VW Wants To Be The EV Market Leader In 2025
The possible add-ons wouldn’t stop at infotainment and safety features, though. For example, the range could be improved, too.
“We make offers to customers who then come to us,” said Zellmer. “For example, you have a customer with a battery-powered vehicle, and if we notice he does long journeys, we can provide him with additional range, which we can do digitally.”
Along with the pay-as-you-go functions, Volkswagen is also exploring subscription services. Volkswagen would join Volvo and Jaguar as subscription providers, though the scheme was less effective for Audi and BMW, whose American subscription services folded last year.
These business models will be tested alongside one another this year. The services, VW predicts, could be worth hundreds of millions of euros by as early as 2025.
