The Volkswagen Group has taken an additional important step with their digitalization strategy to create the mobility of the future by opening the Future Center Europe located in Potsdam, Germany. The Future Center’s functions therefore go beyond standard product development. The Center is joining forces with the affiliated Future Centers California and Asia to take the Volkswagen Group’s vehicles to the top for customer experience, interface design, operating logic, interior concept, infotainment and entertainment.
Fully automated driving will fundamentally change people’s expectations of mobility and the use and functions of their vehicles. «If passengers no longer need to focus on driving, it will allow for completely new vehicle concepts. Every development begins with a user story. We ask: what kind of life do the people for whom we are building the car lead? What are their requirements for mobility and how can we fulfil their aspirations in the best possible way?», said Michael Mauer, Volkswagen’s Chief Designer, describing work at the Future Center. Interface design, operating logic, interior concepts as well as infotainment and entertainment offers will change radically when driving an automobile is no longer at the center of attention.
Even the interior of the Future Center immediately shows how new avenues have been explored in development. Simulators equipped with virtual reality glasses have been set up in a large hall. Seating bucks loosely resembling car seats and a cockpit are placed between consoles. The mounted screens and sensors allow employees to test new developments directly.
