Volkswagen Group has officially opened ‘Future Centre Asia’ in Beijing, one of three such centres worldwide that it says ‘will take a whole new approach to envisioning people’s mobility needs of the future and creating visionary solutions’.
“With these centres, we are breaking down the traditional barriers by bringing together exterior and interior designers, user experience experts and specialists for artificial intelligence, smart cities, scouting and engineering. Inspired by people we want to develop visionary products and services to give our customers a feeling of being home even when they are on the road,” said Prof Dr Jochem Heizmann, member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft as well as president and CEO of Volkswagen Group China.
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The new centre forms part of Volkswagen’s global network of three Future Centres, with Future Centre Europe located in Potsdam, Germany, and Future Centre California in Belmont, Silicon Valley. The Future Centres have been established in key regions to address the increasing regional differentiation in the mobility market and access the best talent pools. Future Centre Asia will provide mobility solutions specifically for the Chinese and Asian markets and ideas and concepts that also can be transferred to the world. The group-wide solutions will be integrated into our strong brands.
“Future Centre Asia is a strategic step for the future development of mobility solutions in China,” Heizmann said. “The breakneck speed at which our Chinese customers embrace a digital lifestyle and electric vehicles needs to be reflected in designs and services. Future Centre Asia will be an inspiring think tank for the region and worldwide. Above all, it will be guided by the demands of our current and future customers.”
Dr Torsten Schonert, head of Future Centre Asia, said: “Future Centre Asia will focus on visionary products and services, disruptive technologies, smart city concepts, start-up scouting and a best-in-class customer experience that respond to Asian customers’ expectations.”
As an interdisciplinary team, the new centre will incorporate all aspects of future mobility from the beginning, with team members inspiring each other through the interplay of different perspectives each brings to the process. Their horizon extends far beyond the car of tomorrow as they seek to identify and solve the challenges that will arise in the future and meet the mobility needs of future generations.
As a network, the three Future Centres also act as global incubators for innovative ideas and as competence centres that bring together the creativity and the knowledge of the Group family. While Future Centre California draws on influences from Silicon Valley and focuses on the best digital user experience, UX software and accessible mobility solutions. Future Centre Europe mainly works on the development of future mobility concepts based on self-driving automobiles like Sedric, as well as overall vehicle design. Future Centre Asia, meanwhile, works intensively on special design concepts for China and Asian markets. Strong exchange between all Centres will enable solutions from each to be transferred throughout the global markets.
