Torsten Wendler, Head of ADAS/AD at Volkswagen Group (China) Technology Company, will be joining us at AutoSens Europe for a key note exploring ‘The Future of ADAS in China’. Read on to hear more for Torsten on how Volkswagen is approaching China’s ADAS market differently.
During the last few years China has been highly competitive in new energy vehicles market. Two fields of innovation stand out: Electrification and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. To enhance competitiveness in China market, Volkswagen has established a comprehensive “in China for China” strategy. In the field of ADAS, the two core pillars are the launch of the “Volkswagen China Technology Company” and the foundation of a new joint venture with Horizon Robotics called “CARIZON”.
This keynote presentation will address the specific market situation in China for ADAS Systems, including features, trends, and regulations. It will cover Volkswagen’s insights and elaborate on the “in China for China” strategy and competence ramp-up. Additionally, Wendler will outline Volkswagen China Technology Company´s technology development strategy to bettermeet local demand and become the major foreign car manufacturer in China for NEVs.
1. How has Volkswagen’s “in China for China” strategy influenced the development and deployment of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in the Chinese market?
Volkswagen Group China Technology Company and her partners CARIAD and CARIZON are developing tailor made ADAS systems for our Chinese customers. These systems will be specifically designed to handle Chinese traffic situations, be adapted to Chinese standards and regulations and will be adapted to the specific wishes of our Chinese customers. With this approach we will be able to shorten development cycles as well as raise the performance. Also, by collaborating with Chinese sensor suppliers we are leveraging the strength of the local market to shorten logistics routes and achieve our price targets.
2. Can you share some specific lessons Volkswagen has learned from its experience in the Chinese market for new energy vehicles and ADAS?
Chinese traffic situations are different from the rest of the world. Infrastructure is different. Driver behaviour is different. We need tailor made solutions, for example traffic sign recognition, lane change behaviour and parking functions. Volkswagen has been listening to our customer´s wishes and is fulfilling them. At the same time, the specific approach helps us to shorten development time and save development effort, enabling to bring more and better features to our customers.
3. What are the key features, trends, and regulations in China’s ADAS market that differentiate it from other global markets?
China is the pilot market for a lot of features, for example “Navigated driving” is becoming a mainstream in China ADAS. China´s strength in AI technology enables a lot of vision based systems and features. Also, China´s young customer base has a high affinity to technology and values detailed environment models and customization options. Also, of course – the driving behaviour and driving task on an eight lane highway in Shanghai is very different from an inner city in Europe.
4. Why are forums like AutoSens and InCabin important for facilitating conversations between stakeholders across the global automotive supply chain?
As I said, Volkswagen is listening more to our customers as well as our partners. Forums like these give us the opportunity to get in contact with old friends and new players. We want to leverage the power of China´s ecosystem. At the same time it is crucial for us to also talk to our established network in Europe. Volkswagen is a global player and we want to integrate the best into our vehicles for our customers worldwide.
