Volkswagen

[Morris Minor]

I've been reading about the mess VW is in for a while. This sort of encapsulates it - totally bolloxed-up software development. I'm not sure they have the guts to broom it & bring in outsiders as alluded to at the end. I'm not convinced legacy automakers have the mindset for doing this stuff.

https://youtu.be/CIteSMOl-bY?t=113

When he said they were targeting a first release in 2025 my first thought was "That's stupid - they should already be releasing and updating like Tesla does " That's gonna be a disaster. My son's starting to get the impression his company (AI ADAS stuff) is dealing with some similar issues with one of their partners. An older company that won't adapt its top down management style to relinquish any control.

Overcoming "We do it our way" corporate politics is harder than the technical challenges.  Herbert Diess gets it I think. But everyone is lined up against him.
My son commented that it's a really common failure to understand what modern software development is like. Hardware companies can't break free of their old processes.

Ultimately I can see it all coalescing into a few software providers. Probably with a light skinning over of driver UIs so the automakers can have their brand differentiation.

[MrH]

I didn't watch the video, but yeah, traditional automakers aren't great at software for the most part.  But there are legitimate reasons why they are slow at this for certain aspects.

Apple showing the CarPlay vision at WWDC was interesting.  I figure eventually, the OEMs will just concede that it isn't worth their time to make all of this software themselves.  Just let Google and Apple take it over.  You already see that with the Android OS for cars.  Volvo has totally given in.  I think Honda plans to also?

[r0tor]

Google also blows for hardware/software design.  Up until a couple years ago the design spec for Android Auto was a fixed resolution screen.  Later versions then we're able to scale to wife's green formats - however that needed OEMs to change firmware on the radios.... which they did not.

Most tech companies don't design around a product lifespan of 10-20+ years.  They can't even make a phone that can last 3 years.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Cars should just have a blank screen with Bluetooth.

[Soup DeVille]

Cars should just have a blank screen with Bluetooth.

I usually end up turning off the screen on all the cars I drive- especially at night.
The bluetooth head unit I installed on the station wagon gives me all the functionality I need- the buttons are too small, but other than that, its great.

[Laconian]

Cars should just have a blank screen with Bluetooth.

The Citroën Ami just has a phone cradle!

[Eye of the Tiger]

The Citroën Ami just has a phone cradle!

That's all anyone needs. Just add Bluetooth connectivity to the car speakers.
Wow, that's what my 1996 Jeep has.

[cawimmer430]

As far as I am concerned, the entire VWAG group is messed up and totally WOKE. Last year Audi is forcing their employees to use this insane gender language. Now some of these gender freaks in Germany even want to financially punish people who address "gender divers" people with the wrong fucking pronouns. Jesus fucking Christ... 

https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/language-for-more-diversity-audi-is-addressing-gender-13795

[Laconian]

Christian, these rants are out of control. Take them to Politics.

[cawimmer430]

Christian, these rants are out of control. Take them to Politics.

Sorry, I am so on the edge these days with all of the political BS happening here.

[giant_mtb]

Sorry, I am so on the edge these days with all of the political BS happening here.

You should find a way to decompress from all that political BS.  I mean, I'm sure that you're not ranting all the time in real life and that this forum is sort of a nice easy soapbox to get some stuff off your chest (as it is for all of us), but still...

[cawimmer430]

You should find a way to decompress from all that political BS.

Nothing like a senseless drive on the Autobahn - just for fun. Trust me, that relaxes me.

[shp4man]

The software Ford uses to help us diagnose electronic problems seems to just get worse and worse with each additional update.
I'm thinking they should find a new contractor to write it for them.

[Morris Minor]

The EV transition exacts its toll. This is really bad for VW.


I think of VW as a massive ship built entirely around ICE production: the bridge, the officers, crew, the crew's union, the engines, the steering gear... everything.  Somehow it has to transmute into a lean mean efficient EV/software enterprise... without upsetting established interests, AND it has to finance this massive expenditure from existing operations which are built around a product for which demand is declining.


Herbert Diess, Volkswagen's C.E.O., is stepping down.
Mr. Diess, who had vowed to rebuild the company after the diesel emissions scandal, led its move into electric cars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/22/business/herbert-diess-volkswagen-ceo.html

[MrH]

Rumor has it he promoted and impregnated a subordinate. Not even joking.

He should have just tweeted he was saving the world from underpopulation and he would have been safe.

[CaminoRacer]

Rumor has it he promoted and impregnated a subordinate. Not even joking.

He should have just tweeted he was saving the world from underpopulation and he would have been safe.

Or just tweet about Doge coin like Musk

[Morris Minor]

His mistake was being blunt: telling the unions & the state of Lower Saxony that there were going to be 30,000 lost jobs & pointing out that VW takes 30 hours to produce an EV while Tesla can do it in 10.
The CARiAD debacle was the cherry on the cake of his doom.

[AutobahnSHO]

Blunt, honesty, charity do not work for business.