OREANDA-NEWS. With its "Volkswagen Future Automotive Supply Tracks" (FAST) initiative, the Volkswagen Group is aiming for more intensive strategic interchange with its suppliers with a view to forging ahead even more strongly with future-oriented technologies. At the first "FAST Summit" strategy conference, held in Berlin, the FAST partners discussed key topics and projects of the next few years with Board of Management members and representatives of the Volkswagen Group and its brands. Together with its suppliers, the Volkswagen Group is laying the foundations for the future of the automobile.

"The automotive industry faces disruptive changes and tremendous challenges. However, this situation offers many opportunities and great potential for companies who successfully accomplish the transformation and become integrated hardware, software and service companies. Renewal capabilities and strong global partnerships will be the key to success," said Dr. Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, member of the Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Board of Management responsible for Procurement.

According to Johann Jungwirth, Chief Digital Officer of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, "fully networked, autonomous vehicles will be reality in only a few years' time. Cars are increasingly becoming living and working spaces. The objective of the Volkswagen Group is to make mobility easier, more accessible and safer for its customers."
Digital innovations are to be implemented more efficiently and in a more customer-oriented way. He said that the strategic partners of the Volkswagen Group were making key contribution to bringing these innovations onto the worlds' roads faster than ever before.

Car sharing and on-demand services are already recording dramatic growth rates. Innovative mobility services offering genuine added value for customers and attractive business opportunities are to account for a substantial part of the Group's revenues in the future. For this purpose, the Volkswagen Group needs strategic partners with the right mindset, speed and entrepreneurial focus to forge ahead with these new business models.

Growing urbanization will further boost demand for zero-emission electric vehicles.

The introduction of the Modular Electrification Toolkit, an architecture especially for e-vehicles, will allow electric ranges in excess of 500 km and shorter charging times. Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Head of Research and Development of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft: "We have focused the Group on electro-mobility and developed comprehensive expertise. Volkswagen has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the market leader in e-mobility by 2018. In addition, the Group will be launching 20 new electric models by 2020. This will also bring new possibilities for our partners in the supplier network."