Porsche enters into extensive cooperation on automated driving

Porsche Macan production in Leipzig

In 2024, the model will also come onto the market as an electric car.

(Photo: Porsche)

Dusseldorf The Volkswagen Group is expanding its cooperation with the Israeli Intel subsidiary Mobileye. The tech company will produce driver assistance systems in series with the sports car manufacturer Porsche in the future, as both companies announced on Tuesday. The VW Group is currently already cooperating with Mobileye on automatic lane keeping and changing.

Through the new cooperation, Porsche wants to offer automated assistance and navigation functions, also known in technical jargon as Level 2+ of automated driving. At this level, drivers are allowed to take their hands off the steering wheel, but must keep their eyes on the road to be able to intervene at any time.

The technology called “Supervision” is intended to form a bridge for future stages of autonomous driving and, according to the announcement, is to be used in future selected models. The partners did not reveal which Porsche models these are. It was also agreed not to disclose the financial scope of the deal.

So far, the Zeekr brand from Chinese carmaker Geely has been using Mobileye’s system in its 001 and 009 models. By 2026, Mobileye wants to equip nine different models from six carmakers with “Supervision” technology.

VW boss Blume relies on software partnerships

The step can be interpreted as a pointer to the new software line from CEO Oliver Blume. In the software sector, Blume relies even more on partnerships than his predecessor Herbert Diess. Blume, who is both the head of the VW Group and the subsidiary Porsche, called Mobileye one of the “world’s leading providers of automated driving functions” in a statement.

>> Read also: Mobileye is not applying for approval for autonomous driving

The cooperation exists explicitly between Mobileye and Porsche itself. Engineers from the sports car manufacturer are working on the integration and fine-tuning of the system in the vehicles. In principle, integration into other brands in the VW Group would be possible as platform solutions. However, there are currently no concrete plans to do so.

“Supervision” uses eleven cameras and supporting radar detection that monitor the vehicle’s surroundings. The core is a high-performance chip (EyeQ6) that controls the assistance functions with the help of artificial intelligence. The system works on different road types in the western world as well as in Asia, including China. It can change lanes on its own, take over the navigation at intersections, park automatically and steer or brake preventively.

For the development of more extensive automated driving functions, the Volkswagen Group has actually already forged alliances with Bosch and Qualcomm and in China with the tech company Horizon Robotics. These are likely to be aimed at higher levels of automated driving in the future.

>> Read also: Marge, China, costs – Volkswagen’s construction sites in the balance sheet check

Because of the proximity to the current Mobileye deal, there are said to have been uncertainties among those employees who are involved in the existing projects in the group for automated driving, according to group circles. At a Cariad employee meeting on Monday, at which CEO Blume was also available for questions, the top manager is said to have addressed the topic and emphasized the importance and differences of the various projects, reports one participant.

Cariad is currently facing a major restructuring. On Monday, CEO Blume announced the replacement of the top management of the software unit.

From June 1, the Bentley manager Peter Bosch will lead the unit and also take over the finance and purchasing departments.

>> Read about this: With the conversion of Cariad, Volkswagen boss Blume carries out the first step

The Volkswagen Group has to become faster on the software side in order not to jeopardize the start of the next software architecture generation 1.2. This is planned for 2024 and should also be the basis for the Mobileye cooperation.

More: More partners, more cooperation with the brands – VW boss Oliver Blume clears up the software unit Cariad

source site-13