Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Skoda plans to cut 2% of admin jobs
      Porsche considering entry to more sustainable F1 racing, report says
      UK sales plunge 36% in worst February since 1959
      Hyundai profit hit after Kona EV recall, but LG Chem seen bearing bulk of costs
    • Skoda plans to cut 2% of admin jobs
      Toyota will stay in Europe's minicar segment while others electrify or leave
      Honda to sell limited batch of Level 3 self-driving cars
      Stellantis waiting for UK support on Vauxhall plant
    • Opel Mokka 2020
      Stellantis battery JV seeks contracts with other automakers
      Sogefi appoints new CEO, virus weighs on 2020 results
      3BIDEN-MAIN_i.jpg
      Biden to press for $37 billion to boost chip output amid shortage
      Continental grille web.jpg
      Continental invests in object recognition startup
    • Toyota will stay in Europe's minicar segment while others electrify or leave
      Mercedes preps debut of EQE EV, a Tesla Model S rival
      Electric-only Volvo C40 to challenge Tesla Model 3
      view gallery
      11 photos
      Volvo C40 Recharge
    • Valeo joins Bosch, GM, others in pledge for carbon neutrality
      GMEVBarra-MAIN_i.jpg
      GM aims to stop selling gasoline vehicles by 2035 in carbon neutrality pledge
      VW will appeal $20M Spanish diesel compensation ruling
      Death of diesel looms as automakers accelerate to electric future
    • UK sales plunge 36% in worst February since 1959
      Spain's February sales fell 38% in 'perfect storm'
      German sales plunge 19% in worst February since 2007
      Italy sales dropped 12% in February but incentives boosted demand from private buyers
    • Toyota names new CEO for Europe
      Audi appoints former Porsche exec as finance chief
      Sogefi appoints new CEO, virus weighs on 2020 results
      Audi's new chief engineer will accelerate EV push
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Frankfurt Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Mobility
    • Segment Analysis
    • Latest Launches
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
    • Apple, Nio, other auto newcomers get creative to avoid Tesla's 'production hell'
      How Amazon, Google are transforming the auto industry
      EV-only future looks closer than ever in Europe
      European car retailing poised for shake-up as 'agency' model gains support
    • Renault CEO bets on 'winning horses' for turnaround
      Nvidia CEO says software will soon define the car, drive profit
      Tavares: Keeping PSA, FCA merger on track an 'incredible' achievement
      Renault CEO outlines ambitious revival plan
    • Opel Mokka 2020
      Stellantis battery JV seeks contracts with other automakers
      VW EVs.jpg
      VW's ID3 electric car stacks up well against Tesla in UBS teardown
      Mercedes preps debut of EQE EV, a Tesla Model S rival
      JLR axed electric Land Rover, Jaguar on MLA platform to focus on better tech
    • Honda to sell limited batch of Level 3 self-driving cars
      VW tests self-driving taxis in Germany ahead of 2025 launch
      Skoda connectivity features need to offer more 'must-have' allure
      Luminar-MAIN_i.jpg
      Who's who in the lidar world
    • EVs make huge gains helped by incentives, tougher CO2 rules
      EVs, surging SUVs to hit Europe's biggest segment
      Wagons hold market share, but costly EV shift looms
      Electrification gains speed in Europe's key compact segment
    • Hyundai counts on Bayon's 'distinctive' design to make small SUV stand out
      Mercedes positions C-Class as sportier S-Class
      Nissan Qashqai gets better handling thanks to new platform
      ARTURA-MAIN_i.jpg
      McLaren embarks on deeper electrified future with Artura
    • How GKN is transforming to gain from e-powertrain shift
      Marelli CEO expects e-powertrains to provide long-term boost
      Veoneer boss expects to reach key milestone this quarter
      How Faurecia aims to become a hydrogen leader
    • Europe sales by model, January: Porsche, Lamborghini, Volvo defy down market; Toyota Yaris No. 1-seller for the month, VW Golf finishes 4th
      Top 10 sellers by market, January: Skoda Octavia finishes No. 1 or No. 2 in eight markets
      Russia sales fall 4% in January as rebound stalls
      CORRECTED: Turkey sales, January: Ford, Kia, Opel, BMW rise
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
    • Jaguar Land Rover Gerry McGovern
      Gerry McGovern is right man to steer Jaguar reinvention
      A 'genius idea' gets a second chance in Renault's mobility strategy
      Skoda connectivity features need to offer more 'must-have' allure
      Will an all-electric Jaguar be sold off?
    • Understanding the impact of design on marketing, brand and user experience
      Ex-Aston Martin CEO Palmer calls on UK to intensify battery commitment
      Why Apple must target the $230B luxury car market
      Apple car: Who will build it? Magna Steyr possible candidate
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • view gallery
      11 photos
      Volvo C40 Recharge
      view gallery
      11 photos
      Hyundai Bayon
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Honda HR-V Hybrid
      view gallery
      13 photos
      Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2021)
    • koenigsegg-gemera-front-quarter-passenger-01.jpg
      view gallery
      14 photos
      Koenigsegg Gemera
      view gallery
      21 photos
      Fiat New 500
      view gallery
      11 photos
      Aston Martin V12 Speedster
      view gallery
      13 photos
      Audi A3 Sportback 2020
    • At the Beijing show, sales rebound and EV boom mix with murky outlook
      3BEIJING-MAIN_i.jpg
      Beijing show to highlight competition for local EV makers
      Beijing auto show delayed due to coronavirus
      Maserati will unveil Ghibli hybrid at Beijing show
    • view gallery
      11 photos
      Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS
      view gallery
      11 photos
      Renault Captur
      view gallery
      5 photos
      Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB 53
      view gallery
      10 photos
      Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe
    • view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux SA2.0 SUV
      view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux A2.0 sedan
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Seat Tarraco
      view gallery
      7 photos
      Toyota Corolla station wagon
    • view gallery
      4 photos
      Nio ET Preview
      view gallery
      7 photos
      Infiniti Qs Inspiration concept
      view gallery
      5 photos
      BMW 3-series LWB
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Mini Clubman
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress Conversations
    • ANE Shift
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
    • ANE Leading Women
    • Watch Again
      • July 9: EU green deal in the COVID-19 new normal
      • July 16: Assisted or Autonomous Driving
      • July 23: Challenges in Electrification
      • July 30: The Road Ahead for Europe
    • Meet the 2020 winners
    • Watch the 2020 Rising Stars awards again
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automakers
May 12, 2020 12:30 AM

Audi exec vows to restore 'stability' to R&D division

Christiaan Hetzner
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    "I assure you that we will achieve our [EU CO2 emissions] fleet targets with our current model range, which includes battery-electric vehicles as well as several plug-in hybrids," Audi R&D chief Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler said.

    It’s been a rough few years at Audi. The Volkswagen Group's premium brand has had three CEOs and nearly a half dozen R&D chiefs in less than a decade. It has also slid back to No. 3 in global luxury car sales after challenging for No. 1. Audi’s rise in the 2010s coincided with a companywide commitment to provide Vorsprung durch Technik, German for progress through technology. Playing a key role in VW Group’s diesel-emissions cheating scandal hurt Audi’s reputation for being a technical leader, something that the automaker’s new chief technology boss, Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, aims to repair. He spoke about Audi’s accelerated push into electrified, connected and autonomous vehicles with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Christiaan Hetzner.

    ANE's targeted products

    Automotive News Europe has added a wide range of special newsletters. Click here to learn more and to subscribe.

     

     

    The crucial new A3 is currently being launched. During the previous A3’s life cycle Audi had five different R&D chiefs. Have these repeated changes at the top weakened your department?
    For any team, constant turnover is tremendously problematic and negative – particularly when it comes to engineering. This has come to an end. I have been in my position for more than a year and expect to be here for a long time, with the aim of restoring stability and continuity to Audi’s technical development with a clear strategy and sustainable decisions.

    BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse guaranteed that the automaker would meet EU fleet emissions targets. His counterpart at Daimler, Ola Kallenius, could not do the same. Even if Audi is in a manufacturer pool with VW Group, will you be able to achieve your CO2 targets on your own?
    I can only speak for Audi, but I assure you that we will achieve our fleet targets with our current model range, which includes battery-electric vehicles as well as several plug-in hybrids.

    How far along is the PPE electric architecture that Audi is co-developing with Porsche?
    The first car that will be underpinned by the PPE is an SUV model that will be a little smaller than the current Audi e-tron. It will symbolize what Vorsprung durch Technik means for our customers at that time, in terms of longer range but also next-generation connectivity as well as autonomous driving features.

    Meet the tech chief

    NAME: Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler
    TITLE: Audi Board Member for Technical Development
    AGE: 62
    MAIN CHALLENGE: Overcoming complex software issues to ensure the seamless debut of the Audi A3 and Q4 e-tron.

    Audi was the first to develop "eyes-off" conditional Level 3 autonomous functionality with the A8 that launched in late 2018. However, your Traffic Jam Pilot has yet to be approved for sale by regulators. What is the status of those talks?
    It’s a complex subject. The euphoria in the auto industry around Level 3 has subsided substantially. We are still having an extensive dialogue with the authorities regarding the complete approval of these functions. We have conducted many intensive discussions with legislators and the German motor vehicle agency regarding our traffic jam pilot. Currently, there is no legal framework for Level 3 automated driving and it is not possible to homologate such functions anywhere in the world in a series production car. As these clarifications and discussions on safeguards continue to take time, we have also been monitoring the economic aspects. This has brought us to the following decision: We will not see the traffic jam pilot on the road with its originally planned Level 3 functionality in the current model generation of the Audi A8 because our luxury sedan has already gone through a substantial part of its model life cycle. We still believe in automated driving technology and we were the first to develop this kind of functionality for a series introduction. Currently, there is still no equivalent function in series production on the market from any other OEM.

    So when can we expect a Level 3 system with Audi?
    Essentially, we believe that a discussion based on levels only makes sense in the context of a defined use case. Customer benefits are of the utmost importance for us and, generally, they do not depend just on the level of automation, but, for example, on availability, which is dependent on the number of situations, routes or ambient conditions where use is possible. It is still very challenging to plan exact introduction scenarios for Level 3 systems. There is still intensive interplay between the results of ongoing testing and the requirements that legislators and public authorities are now defining for conditional automated driving. When it comes to Level 2 functionalities, we don’t think all possibilities have been exhausted. There is still room to improve value for our customers in terms of enhancing comfort for the driver or avoiding accidents. My personal view is that China is a significant driving force in the field of automated driving technology. Audi is working closely in this area with local partners and authorities. As is the case everywhere, a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders is necessary for automated driving.

    Former CEO Bram Schot had said the next-generation A8 could be exclusively electric. If the PPE is also suited for low-floor vehicles, could it also underpin a battery-driven version of your flagship sedan?
    We are currently focusing our efforts on full-electric SUVs, as crossovers are increasing their market share. The sedan segments tend to be stable, by comparison, so here we will expand the range of our plug-in hybrids [beyond the 47 km of electric-only travel possible now]. However, we also have plans for full-electric passenger cars with flat-top battery packaging.

    VW brand has struggled to cope with software glitches in the Golf and ID3. Have you seen similar problems with their sibling models, A3 and Q4 e-tron?
    No. We are a couple of months behind the Golf and we are doing everything to ensure that Audi models are delivered with the quality our customers expect. To be frank, we still have some work to do here as vehicles are constantly becoming more complex in terms of software, whether it's digitalization, connectivity or a large number of safety-related features including automated driving functions. We need to have a deeper expertise to ensure stable software architectures and the optimal interaction between these many functions to be ready for series production. The flip side is that the new Car.Software unit [that VW Group made an independent business unit at the start of 2020] represents an enormous competitive opportunity. This is due to the ability to consolidate all our competencies in this field and to spread the costs of these software stacks through the VW Group and achieve considerable scale effects in the process.

    Why will Car.Software be situated in Audi’s home city of Ingolstadt rather than Wolfsburg?
    Car.Software is a global company. Many parts of the new unit will be situated close to the various brand locations. The organization will develop cross-brand software in five functional domains: Connected Car & Device Platform, Intelligent Body & Cockpit, Automated Driving, Vehicle Motion & Energy and Digital Business & Mobility Services. The objective is to establish one uniform software architecture in the VW Group and bring together parallel development paths by the brands. Audi is contributing substantial resources to help create this unit. Former Audi managers will head two of the five domains within this new organization: Thomas Mueller will manage the Automated Driving area and Klaus Buettner will manage the Intelligent Body & Cockpit area. Together with the specialists coming from Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche, this ensures that the current expertise in this cross-brand organization is available for the greatest possible benefit to everyone in the VW Group.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Skoda plans to cut 2% of admin jobs
    Recommended for You
    Skoda plans to cut 2% of admin jobs
    Skoda plans to cut 2% of admin jobs
    Porsche considering entry to more sustainable F1 racing, report says
    Porsche considering entry to more sustainable F1 racing, report says
    Hyundai profit hit after Kona EV recall, but LG Chem seen bearing bulk of costs
    Hyundai profit hit after Kona EV recall, but LG Chem seen bearing bulk of costs
    Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    Sponsored Content: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • 2020 Media Kit
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Frankfurt Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Mobility
      • Segment Analysis
      • Latest Launches
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress Conversations
        • Watch Again
          • July 9: EU green deal in the COVID-19 new normal
          • July 16: Assisted or Autonomous Driving
          • July 23: Challenges in Electrification
          • July 30: The Road Ahead for Europe
      • ANE Shift
      • ANE Rising Stars
        • Meet the 2020 winners
        • Watch the 2020 Rising Stars awards again
      • ANE Eurostars
      • ANE Leading Women
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us