VW’s specialist software unit, CARIAD, has opened an automotive software campus in Berlin. It says that around 1,000 experts are working on AI technologies for the software-defined vehicle. As part of the global CARIAD network, they use artificial intelligence (AI) for software development for Volkswagen Group vehicles worldwide. The spectrum ranges from environment perception for automated driving systems to AI-based voice assistants.
At the campus in Berlin, CARIAD is demonstrating its transformation into a modern and competitive tech company, with AI as an integral part of all products and processes. Embedded in the Berlin tech ecosystem, the campus offers modern, open workspaces, flexible working models, as well as directly connected workshops and test labs. It is described by VW as ‘the ideal environment for developers who want to bring their code directly to the road’.
VW maintains that through the targeted use of AI, the Volkswagen Group is strengthening its in-house software development capabilities. Oliver Blume, Volkswagen Group CEO, said: "For the Volkswagen Group it is clear: The AI-defined vehicle stands for the next generation of mobility. We are driving this development forward consistently – with CARIAD, our strong brands and leading partners. At the Automotive Software Campus in Berlin, technology is being created that makes driving even safer, more comfortable and more attractive. This is an important building block of our transformation, with which we sustainably strengthen our competitiveness. And a further step on our way to becoming the global technology driver of the automotive industry."
The Automotive Software Campus in Berlin is part of the global CARIAD development network, which stretches from Mountain View and Bangalore to Shanghai and Hefei. The "From Code to Car" principle is implemented here, the company says. CARIAD relies on integrated in-house development. This close collaboration model accelerates development cycles and reduces costs, according to VW Group.
About CARIAD
From VW/CARIAD:
CARIAD is the automotive software company of the Volkswagen Group. CARIAD develops software platforms and digital customer features for iconic brands such as Audi, Volkswagen, and Porsche, supporting the Volkswagen Group on its path to becoming a leading automotive technology group. Since 2023, CARIAD has been comprehensively restructured and significantly streamlined. Today, CARIAD delivers software at the highest competitive level and receives positive feedback from customers, experts, and the trade media.
CARIAD has become a modern, professional tech company focused on artificial intelligence. In software centers across Germany, the US, China, Estonia, and India, more than 5,000 experts work to make mobility safer, more sustainable, and more comfortable for everyone. The company's scalable platforms include advanced driver assistance systems, a unified infotainment system, and software functions for driving performance and comfort. Its data, backend, and cloud solution is one of the largest in the automotive industry, with 60 million vehicles online, offering digital services in and around the vehicle.
Models such as the Volkswagen ID. Polo, ID.3 Neo, and ID.7, the Audi A6 e-tron, the Audi S5, or the Porsche Macan 4 Electric and Cayenne Electric are already equipped with the latest CARIAD technology.
