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Volkswagen


What social/economic/technological trends do you think will have the greatest impact on car design in 2018?

There are ever greater demands being put on the world’s road networks and the vehicles themselves. The vehicles of tomorrow need to be not only safer, more efficient, offer superior packaging (while taking up less space on the road) and greater comfort but must also do it for less and in greater style.

Vehicles may revert to being simpler as technology allows for multiple functions to be placed within a single component. Evidence lies in our latest concept vehicle – the up! Instead of having multiple complex controls for the function and entertainment controls up! adopts a single touch screen display through which multiple controls can be accessed.

The design and mechanical layout of the vehicle would depend largely on the fuel and drivetrain it adopts. The up! concepts all featured extremely compact fuel cell and two- and three-cylinder engines that, due to their size, are rear-mounted.

In what ways will the powertrain technology differ?

This is heavily dependent on the fuel sources and resulting infrastructure that’s decided on by each market.

Volkswagen currently has ongoing research programmes investigating the market for high- and low-temperature fuel cells, combined combustion systems, second generation biofuels, hybrid vehicles and highly efficient, small-capacity diesel engines. Which solution succeeds depends largely on the market’s reaction and whether there is an infrastructure in place to support it. Besides, the combustion engine has big potential for improvements.

What materials will vehicles use – can we expect serious alternatives to steel to emerge?

Volkswagen is already exploring alternatives to conventional materials in order to improve recyclability and reduce weight. Proof of the former lies in Volkswagen’s most recent concept, the space up! blue - the dashboard and trim elements of which make extensive use of biopolymers.

What technologies will be making the big advances in safety in 2018?

Volkswagen has pioneered the development of both active and passive safety systems. These include establishing ESP as standard equipment across much of the range, new initiatives such as ABSPlus, ESP+, trailer stabilisation and the development and driver and passenger safety protection cells. Also, new car to car and car to user communications will improve the car safety.

We would expect these technologies to continue to evolve to strive to improve and build on our existing high-standards of safety awareness and technology.

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