VW to Adopt Common Electronics Architecture

Volkswagen Group tells Ars Technica it will eventually reduce the number of electronics architectures used across its various brands from eight today to a single platform.

The company offers no timeframe. But Christian Senger, who was hired in February to head the company’s new digital car and services unit, says the group tasked with developing and implementing the technology could grow to as many as 10,000 people by 2025.

The number of electronic control modules in VW vehicles also will be reduced. Instead of as many as 70 modules with software from 200 vendors today, Senger says future vehicles will use a handful of multi-domain controllers connected via an in-vehicle ethernet rather than a traditional CAN (control area network) bus. The first vehicle to use the approach is the 2020 model all-electric ID.3 small hatchback.

Senger says a common architecture will reduce development costs and improve operating efficiencies. Fewer controllers also will eliminate communication problems among systems, which Senger notes previously could cause the entire vehicle to shut down if there was a simple issue with the infotainment system.

VW also will begin using Google Inc.’s Android operating system for future infotainment systems. To help differentiate vehicles, VW’s various brands will develop their own UX (user experience) interfaces.