
Cariad, TomTom to jointly develop VW Group’s next-gen navigation system
Volkswagen’s software and technology company Cariad and TomTom will jointly develop a new navigation product for the Volkswagen Group. The system will combine TomTom’s expertise in hybrid navigation and traffic services with Cariad’s expertise in user experience and vehicle integration. The agreement applies to all markets worldwide except China and is the continuation of a long cooperation; TomTom has been a partner of the Volkswagen Group for traffic services for many years.
Cariad, which works on software and hardware platforms for all Volkswagen Group brands, will develop the navigation UI/UX and map visualisation, creating a brand-specific navigation experience for customers of Volkswagen Group brands (Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Skoda, and Volkswagen). To enable seamless operation across infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems, Volkswagen’s new software house aims to tightly integrate navigation into the vehicle platform. In doing so, Cariad aims to continuously improve the quality and coverage of navigation services by leveraging the Volkswagen Group’s global fleet size and data. By 2030, Cariad aims to connect up to 40 million vehicles worldwide to the Group’s automotive cloud.
TomTom has developed a navigation solution that integrates seamlessly with Volkswagen Group’s digital cockpits and delivers regular over-the-air updates. According to VW software experts, TomTom’s cloud-native navigation solution uses current routing and real-time traffic information particularly quickly to deliver the best routing and most accurate estimated arrival times. If no data connection is available, the solution switches to its onboard software and thus remains available at all times.
The joint development of further innovative solutions is underway. The first models to use the next-generation navigation technology will be electric and hit the road in 2023. These models will benefit from the range of an electric car and route guidance that is said to be more precise than anything available today. The development of other innovative features such as lane-based navigation and lane-based traffic, as well as a more advanced and personalised EV experience, are also part of this continuous innovation cycle.
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