OREANDA-NEWS. The Volkswagen Group is forging ahead with the digital transformation. At the Group IT symposium held in Wolfsburg on Friday, members of the Volkswagen Group and Brand Boards of Management and the Works Council considered IT solutions for the digital future of the Group. The main focus was on human-robot cooperation, augmented reality and digital customer solutions.

Dr. Karlheinz Blessing, Member of the Board of Management responsible for Human Resources, IT and Organization, said: "Volkswagen is exploiting possibilities of digitalization. We are becoming faster, more agile and more competitive. We are developing know-how and expertise with respect to future-oriented topics. IT will play a key role. It is becoming a hotbed of innovation for the Group."

Bernd Osterloh, Chairman of the Group Works Council, said: "We can only master the digital future with competent employees. This applies especially to the IT Department, the nerve center of the Group. As Works Council members, we are committed to ensuring that our colleagues are extremely well qualified for the digital future."

"IT has to perform a double role," said Dr. Martin Hofmann, Head of Group IT. "First, it must be a spearhead of technological development. Secondly it must ensure the safe, reliable and efficient operation of IT systems. We have shouldered this heavy responsibility."

Exhibits illustrate new IT developments

At the symposium, IT representatives presented a new form of intelligent human-robot cooperation which could be applied in production in a few years' time. For the first time, a new sensor configuration which can be combined in a modular way allows genuine cooperation between people and robots. The system can be operated intuitively using gestures, records ambient conditions using a combination of sensors and avoids collisions independently. This exhibit is a key step on the way to artificial intelligence in production.

Group IT's virtual reality lab demonstrated the possibilities of merging the real and digital worlds using a plasticine car model and HoloLens smart glasses. The team projected a flow line simulation into the smart glasses. This was then made visible on the car model and could be viewed from any perspective. The field of vision of the HoloLens wearer including real and virtual content was projected onto the display. Other people could then join the field of vision via a video conference link.

Employees of Volkswagen Group of America presented a mobile application to assist dealers with the sales process. Modules such as a precise analysis of requirements, vehicle configuration, vehicle presentation and a search in actual vehicle stocks provide personnel with support when advising customers. Following a sales discussion, the dealer can configure an individually tailored electronic sales folder for the customer.

A further exhibit was concerned with automobile fleet data. At the Group's data lab in Munich, 124 vehicles have been equipped with telematics solutions over the past few years. These cars have now completed more than two million kilometers in 17 countries. The collected fleet data are being used as a basis for mobility control hubs. Together with other smart city or environmental data, they will be combined to generate new services for autonomous vehicles, fleet managers, customers and traffic planners on the basis of artificial intelligence.