Mobility Research

The Volkswagen Group has responsibilities in many different areas. For example as well as manufacturing cars, it also carries out research and development on road traffic as a comprehensive system. Together with partners from the fields of science, government and industry, we seek solutions that will pave the way towards intelligent, sustainable mobility.

New traffic concepts
Smooth traffic flow need not to be a pipedream. That is the view of all 28 members of AKTIV, the German research initiative "Adaptive and Cooperative Technologies for Intelligent Traffic." The initiative comprises partners from the automotive sector, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and the field of science. As an innovation leader in the automotive industry, the Volkswagen Group too is taking part in the project, which will present its solutions by 2010.

Integrated technologies
The AKTIV participants are aiming to incorporate driver assistance systems, information technologies and improved traffic management systems into new integrated solutions. In the project "Situation-Responsive Driving," the Volkswagen Group will be contributing its planned "roadworks pilot."

Keeping things moving
In the roadworks pilot, advanced ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) systems technology is extended to include a traffic assistance function which helps the driver adopt an optimal driving style in heavy traffic. This reduces traffic hold-ups, reduces environmental impacts and shortens journey times. Technically, this enhancement of traffic capacity is based on a forward-looking, situation-adapted control strategy for the parameters distance, speed and acceleration.

"Traffic horizon" as driver information
On 25 June, 2008, at the "AKTIV half-time presentation" in Bergisch Gladbach, Volkswagen presented the latest status of the ADC system to the public, offering improved performance through Car-to-X (C2X). The roadworks pilot technology is based on the "traffic horizon" established via an experience exchange between the vehicles and the infrastructure. The roadworks pilot provides useful information for the driver and ensures optimal pre-setting of the distance control (ADC).

Fig.: Traffic horizon

New infrastructure needed
To make road traffic of the future more efficient, four factors must be given particular attention: intelligent roads, innovative traffic management, highly advanced vehicle engineering and a sound infrastructure. With these aims in mind, we are working on scientifically based long-term solutions. Together with acatech (Council for Technical Sciences of the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities), we have prepared forecasts on traffic volumes in Germany for the period up to 2020. These predict a further growth in traffic and indicate that a functioning and effective traffic management system can only be created on the basis of a sound and extensive infrastructure. This would comprise nationwide diagnosis –  and rapid processing – of traffic information, preparation of driver recommendations based on this, and optimised roadworks management.