Latest news with #RalfBrandstätter
Motor 1
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Volkswagen Says Car Buyers In Europe Want Buttons
As someone who owns a previous-generation Skoda Octavia , I find my car's dashboard to be borderline perfect in terms of layout and user interface. It strikes just the right balance between buttons and screens, a feature that virtually all Volkswagen Group products had until the late 2010s or so. After that, VW began shoving nearly everything into the touchscreen in the name of minimalism. They wouldn't call it cost-cutting, would they? But VW is aware that a large portion of its customer base prefers a more analog interface. Ralf Brandstätter, the company's head honcho in China, explained that customers in Europe tend to favor 'tactile controls, long-term durability, and driving dynamics.' It's a different story in China, where buyers prioritize 'AI-first, connected vehicles, with seamless voice control and smart cockpits.' 2024 VW Passat Variant Although Brandstätter was comparing EV shoppers in Europe and China, VW's combustion-engine cars have also largely abandoned physical buttons and knobs. The latest, wagon-only Passat is a clear example of how tablet-like displays have taken over dashboards in recent years. The similarly sized ID.7 Tourer electric wagon also keeps hard buttons down to a minimum. In VW's defense, it has promised a return to form . We've already seen tentative steps, with the Golf GTI and R reintroducing real buttons on the steering wheel. Additionally, future models will include tactile controls for frequently used functions. Earlier this year, the company's design chief admitted that going screen-heavy was a mistake. Here's what Andreas Mindt said: 'From the ID.2all onwards, we will have physical buttons for the five most important functions—the volume, the heating on each side of the car, the fans, and the hazard light—below the screen. They will be in every car that we make from now on. We will never, ever make this mistake again. On the steering wheel, we will have physical buttons. No guessing anymore. There's feedback, it's real, and people love this. Honestly, it's a car. It's not a phone. ' Since VW-badged cars are always twinned with other Group products to spread out costs, there's a good chance that future models from Skoda, SEAT, Cupra , and the rest of the gang will also revert to proper dashboards. Including more separate controls will undoubtedly drive up production costs, which, logically, will be passed on to buyers. It's a sacrifice some of us are willing to make. Circling back to Brandstätter's statement, he pointed out that the average age of an electric car buyer in Europe is 56, whereas in China it's under 35. His post on LinkedIn addresses the question of why cars developed by the VW Group in China aren't sold in Europe. It all comes down to differing regulations, costs, and customer preferences. Buttons > Screens Hyundai Gets It: Buttons Are Safer than Screens Hyundai Realizes People Find Touchscreens Annoying Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Ralf Brandstätter / LinkedIn Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
German carmaker VW expects more competition in Chinese market
German carmaker Volkswagen expects competition to intensify with the increasing presence of large tech companies in the Chinese car market. "That doesn't make life any easier for us," Volkswagen board member for China Ralf Brandstätter said in Shanghai on Tuesday. However, VW believes that its state-of-the-art technology puts it in a good position to compete and capture its share of the market. "In my view, the playoff season is now beginning," said Brandstätter, referring to the knockout stages common in sport. Some market players could catch up, but not all would survive, he added. The Volkswagen Group, which also includes the Audi and Porsche brands, has announced a major product offensive for the Auto Shanghai motor show starting on Wednesday. On the eve of the exhibition, the group unveiled five new cars. VW is presenting three vehicles in Shanghai as "show cars," that is vehicles close to series production. These include an SUV with a range extender, meaning an electric car with a combustion engine that charges the battery, thus guaranteeing a longer range. VW also presented a fully electric car and a car in the highly competitive compact class, which is also intended to compete with Chinese rivals on price. According to Brandstätter, the vehicle would cost the equivalent of around €17,000 (about $19,600) in China. Prices in China are a problem, VW brand boss Stefan Mecha said. The competition's vehicles have all the technology, but not at a realistic price, he said. To give a realistic picture, the cars would actually have to cost twice as much, according to Mecha. Volkswagen is focusing on high-tech features in its vehicles and is presenting an automated driving system (ADAS) developed in-house in Shanghai. The driving system is designed to achieve a driving capability of up to level 2++. This means that the car does not drive completely autonomously, but the technology offers functions such as lane departure warning and speed control, which are intended to relieve the driver when driving on the motorway. Fierce competition in China and high restructuring costs within the company had a noticeable impact on the entire Volkswagen Group last year, earning €12.4 billion, almost 31 % less than a year earlier. China - which formerly drove profits at VW - contributed significantly less to the result. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
German carmaker VW expects more competition in Chinese market
German carmaker Volkswagen expects competition to intensify with the increasing presence of large tech companies in the Chinese car market. "That doesn't make life any easier for us," Volkswagen board member for China Ralf Brandstätter said in Shanghai on Tuesday. However, VW believes that its state-of-the-art technology puts it in a good position to compete and capture its share of the market. "In my view, the playoff season is now beginning," said Brandstätter, referring to the knockout stages common in sport. Some market players could catch up, but not all would survive, he added. The Volkswagen Group, which also includes the Audi and Porsche brands, has announced a major product offensive for the Auto Shanghai motor show starting on Wednesday. On the eve of the exhibition, the group unveiled five new cars. VW is presenting three vehicles in Shanghai as "show cars," that is vehicles close to series production. These include an SUV with a range extender, meaning an electric car with a combustion engine that charges the battery, thus guaranteeing a longer range. VW also presented a fully electric car and a car in the highly competitive compact class, which is also intended to compete with Chinese rivals on price. According to Brandstätter, the vehicle would cost the equivalent of around €17,000 (about $19,600) in China. Prices in China are a problem, VW brand boss Stefan Mecha said. The competition's vehicles have all the technology, but not at a realistic price, he said. To give a realistic picture, the cars would actually have to cost twice as much, according to Mecha. Volkswagen is focusing on high-tech features in its vehicles and is presenting an automated driving system (ADAS) developed in-house in Shanghai. The driving system is designed to achieve a driving capability of up to level 2++. This means that the car does not drive completely autonomously, but the technology offers functions such as lane departure warning and speed control, which are intended to relieve the driver when driving on the motorway. Fierce competition in China and high restructuring costs within the company had a noticeable impact on the entire Volkswagen Group last year, earning €12.4 billion, almost 31 % less than a year earlier. China - which formerly drove profits at VW - contributed significantly less to the result.
