Audi will make greater utilization of vehicle platforms and technologies developed with Porsche and Volkswagen as it commences on a 15 billion euro cost-cutting and performance drive, CEO Bram Schot stated on Thursday.
Audi was a key research hub within Volkswagen Group until its engineers were found developing the engine software which was capable of evading excessive pollution levels.
Now new CEO Schot is tasked with remodeling Audi and refocusing research efforts after senior engineers were forced out by the emissions scandal, that has cost Volkswagen over 32 billion USD.
“We are discussing what we do ourselves and where we share resources with other parts of Volkswagen. We ask ourselves: Do we need to do this in-house, is it standardized technology, and is it distinctive from the customer point of view,”
As part of group-wide savings efforts at automakers has surrendered responsibility for developing self-driving cars to engineers at VW in Hanover, Schot stated, adding that Audi still retains responsibility for making semi-autonomous cars which still need drivers.
Sources informed Reuters in November that Audi may surrender its leadership in the area of making self-driving cars as Volkswagen Group seeks to save expenses.
More savings could come from deepening a research alliance with Porsche, which is another premium brand owned by Volkswagen.
