Volkswagen’s next-gen software platform to come towards 2027, 2028: CFO

VOLKSWAGEN software unit Cariad will likely bring its next-generation 2.0 platform to market towards 2027 or 2028, its chief financial officer said at a Financial Times conference on Thursday (May 11).

The software would enable so-called “Level 4” autonomous driving and was due to be implemented across the fleet from 2026, but its development has suffered delays.

Arno Antlitz said the company first wanted to concentrate on the version of the platform that will be implemented from next year in premium electric models like the e-Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron.

“There will be great cars on that platform... that gives us a little flexibility to postpone to 2027, 2028,” he added, confirming a Reuters report last year that the platform would be pushed back to the end of the decade.

Volkswagen earlier this week appointed Bentley production chief Peter Bosch to lead Cariad, which has been dogged by delays and overspending since it was set up by former chief executive Herbert Diess.

“This will be a very strong team that focuses on the turnaround of Cariad,” Antlitz said on Thursday, adding that the aim was to rely more on outside partners and do less in-house to reduce cash burn, as the carmaker attempts to build up its software expertise.

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