Volkswagen presents the technologies of tomorrow
Recent study shows: Volkswagen AG is the most innovative car company
“Volkswagen AG”, according to a recent study by the renowned German ‘Centre of Automotive’ (CoA), “is the automotive corporation with the greatest innovative strength of the year.” The reason stated by the CoA was, “for the third year in a row, the Wolfsburg-based corporation was able to increase its innovative activities relative to its competitors.” A strong complement.
Researching for the world of tomorrow
Group Research. One of the focal points of these “innovative activities” is Volkswagen Group Research. The ideas for the world of tomorrow are developed here in cooperation with all of the Group’s brands. One theme standing out more than ever as a central focus is the use of intelligent electronics. That is because it helps to improve the safety, dynamics, economy and ecological balance of automobiles. Across the globe, more than 700 researchers work for the company in Germany, the USA, China and Japan. They are continually striving to network the car more intensively to its environment, to other vehicles and finally – via intuitively operated human-machine interfaces – to the drivers themselves. The Group showcases a lineup of its latest innovations once a year on the occasion of what is known as “Research Day”.
Bundled technologies for production
Lane Assist and chassis control. Just how vigorously research project findings flow into production development is well represented on the Group’s latest sedan: the Passat CC from Volkswagen. Upon request, this recently launched model can bring together more assistance and vehicle dynamics systems than any other model. Take the example of “Lane Assist”: This lane-keeping assistant that is being introduced to production on the Passat CC was initially presented at Research Day 2004; back then it still carried the name “Lane Departure Warning”. Or the example of “DCC adaptive chassis control”: this system offers three different chassis and steering characteristics at the press of a button. Functions like these were presented on a Passat prototype named CARmäleon at Research Day 2007.
Park Assist and distance control. “Park Assist” was also presented initially by Research at a driver assistance systems workshop it hosted in 2004; today it is offered on the Touran, Tiguan, Passat sedan, Passat Variant and new Passat CC. Also debuting as a research project was “Adaptive Cruise Control” (ACC), which is used today as an “automatic distance control system” on the Phaeton, Touareg and all Passat versions. The new Passat CC marks the first time that “Lane Assist”, “DCC”, “Park Assist” and “ACC” can be ordered together as bundled technology.
Quicker brakes for greater safety
PyroBrake. Just as the systems now implemented on the Passat CC were still “pie in the sky” technologies until just recently, research projects are continually flowing into production development. Volkswagen Group Research is presenting the current range of these projects at “Research Day 2008”. Take the example of the “PyroBrake”: the pyrotechnically ignited “PyroBrake” becomes active when nothing else will work and an accident is about to happen. Key data: the system can initiate emergency braking within 80 milliseconds – that is well in advance of an accident – and it can thereby reduce the impact velocity by five km/h on average. In a crash this could make a world of difference. The “PyroBrake” is being presented on a Passat and a Golf.
Accident research. Demonstrating the eminent importance of research and development of such technologies is the example of ESP. It was ten years ago when Volkswagen Accident Research analysed the potential of the electronic stabilisation program. The results were so positive that later in the same year the Golf was launched in Europe with ESP as standard equipment.
Electronic test driver
KART. Just how enormous a range of technology Research covers is currently being shown by “KART” – a type of electronic test driver. KART helps to perform certain driving maneuvers and reliably test pre-crash systems much more accurately and quicker than ever before. This optimises test results and shortens development time.
Support in parking structures
Parking assistants. Other assistance systems protect against minor fender benders in everyday driving or are simply there to assist when things literally get too tight, such as “Park Assist Vision”. It guides a Passat prototype with millimetre precision into so-called diagonal parking spaces such as those found in all parking structures. Often arranged too narrowly, they force car occupants to thread their way between doors and cars with snake-like movement when entering and exiting the vehicle. “Park Assist Vision” will put an end to this in the not too distant future. In addition, while driving through a parking structure the “Parking Garage Assistant” protects the car from dents because the system continually absorbs its surroundings (360 degrees) and within its technical limits informs the driver if the car comes too close to an obstacle.
Accident avoidance by relieving the driver
Avoiding accidents. The car’s immediate surrounds are also a theme of the “AKTIV” research project. Here the focus is on “Integrated transverse guidance”, a very technical working title for a highly practical network of driver assistance systems. A stereo camera, radar sensors and navigation data evaluation help to prevent the car from coming too close to either the roadway shoulder or opposing traffic. It has the ability to avoid one of the most frequent types of accidents.
Relief. The “Peripheral Vision Field / Fuzzy Perceptions” project is working to counteract information overload of the driver. Here information is projected onto the outer borders of the windshield, and the driver is able to perceive this information without needing to consciously focus on it or be distracted by it.
Networking cars to one another is the future
Networking. An important aspect of competitions such as the Urban Challenge is Car-to-X communication. The underlying objective here is to network the car with its environment. The car accesses information from other vehicles or the traffic infrastructure to analyse what is happening on its route in real time. And precisely this will make car driving safer, more efficient and interesting in the near future.
Autonomously through the city. Furthermore, the cars of tomorrow will be able to see and pay attention to one another in traffic. Sounds like science fiction, but apparently not any longer. Volkswagen Group Research proved this in 2007 with the Passat prototype “Junior” in the framework of the Urban Challenge in California – a competition for intelligent, autonomously driving automobiles. The task: to master driving in simulated city traffic without a driver and mistake-free. “Junior” drove to second place. This result is all the more impressive, because once again it put Volkswagen right out in front in this high-tech competition being held for the third time. Volkswagen won the first competition in 2005 with the Touareg prototype “Stanley”. “Junior” and a similar counterpart will also be presented at Research Day.
Automatically where it makes sense. Wherever it makes sense, certain situations could actually be fully automated. Especially in situations with increased risk of accidents, such as in stop-and-go traffic on the freeway. Volkswagen Group Research is studying precisely these situations on its “iCar” (Intelligent Car) project. In any event, it is clear that clever assistance systems are currently revolutionising car driving, because they enable greater safety, comfort and more fun. Cars like the new Passat CC show this clearly. So the future is already here today.
