Volkswagen’s Big Leap from Gassol to Self‑Driving
On a sunny Sunday in Munich, Volkswagen’s chief, Herbert Diess, dropped a bombshell at the IAA car show: the real game‑changer isn’t the battery‑pack but software and autonomous driving. “If you think electrification is the future, think again,” he quipped, a bit of a tongue‑in‑cheek wink for those who’ve been tired of charging stations.
Why Software (and Not the Battery) Takes the Spotlight
Diess noted that while electric cars were moving “kind of easy” on the way out of the combustion era, it’s the computer brain inside the car that will truly rewrite the rules of the road. Think of a car that can decide to take the scenic route, ditch traffic jams, and still keep a seat for you. That’s the next giant leap.
Europe’s Tightening Grip on Combustion Engines
The European Commission is set to ban new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Greenpeace and the German NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) are already on standby, threatening legal action if German automakers don’t beef up their climate action plans. Diess had to fend off activists before he even stepped into the hall—just another reminder that the future of mobility is hotly contested.
Winging It With a $1.9 Trillion Playbook
- 2030 Target: Volkswagen foresees €1.2 trillion of software‑enabled sales, which is roughly a quarter of the entire global mobility market.
- Ambition to Lead: By 2030, Diess projects that 85 % of VW’s business will be in cars—whether owned, shared, or rented—while the remaining 15 % will pivot to “mobility as a service” and shuttles.
- Strategic Moves: The company is stepping up its software game with a stake in Argo AI, the startup behind driverless tech, and by spearheading an Europcar acquisition that could open the door to lucrative shared‑transport services.
David vs. The Giants: Tesla, Alphabet, and the Rest
Diess is not merely chasing Tesla; he’s aiming to make Volkswagen the world’s biggest EV seller by 2025 while also turning to software for revenue. “Took the road yard,” he said, underlining that it’s not just about putting a battery in a car but about making it smart enough to get the job done on its own.
In a nutshell: in the race to replace the petrol station with the driver’s seat, Volkswagen is putting its chips into the map from the start. The next chapter in the automotive saga isn’t one where you sit in a seat and press a button—it’s one where the car writes the script for you.
