Volkswagen and Co: Hesitating to battle with Google and Apple – SPIEGEL ONLINE

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Future Technology has in Volkswagen boss Matthias Müller in a difficult position. “The autonomous driving represents for me a hype that is worth nothing can justify” Mueller said the head of VW subsidiary Porsche specialist magazine “auto motor und sport”. That’s not even a year ago

But now forcing competitors Druckenmüller to rethink. Volkswagen has announced mingle in the business of Internet travel intermediaries. the Wolfsburg-based group invested $ 300 million in online service Gett while simultaneously archrival Toyota einsteigt at its US competitors Uber. Gett could serve as a basis for the development of viable models for operating a self-propelled cars, VW said.

hesitate endangers the very existence of established carmakers. Similar to electromobility only makes the threat scenario agile attackers companies to rethink. Google and Apple are working intensively on business models to offer car rides together a bespoke new service network. “Automakers need to do something to counter, they can not afford waiting. Yet they still lack a consistent strategy,” says auto expert Stefan Bratzel from the Fachhochschule Bergisch Gladbach. This will “decide the future of the car industry.”

Forced to act

The IT corporations have spotted a lucrative business, in which they intrude vehemently , They are working on robotic cars that carry about customers as a taxi and so gain valuable information about their habits. Through cooperation can make money. So an autonomously driving taxi customers could guide example to for them interesting shops – on a commission basis.

“For usage-based mobility services is global an asset pool to be expected in the order of 50 billion euros in 2030,” says the experienced Autoexperte Martin steel. The curl of many companies. “Integrated mobility providers for automakers to a big threat if they do not develop themselves there,” warns the CEO of Steel Automotive Consulting. The car industry was in danger to pure automotive supplier for companies like Google

resistance begins

in turn, therefore, enable manufacturers to defense – and now VW boss Müller. The entry at Gett he described on Twitter as a “milestone for us on the road to holistic mobility solutions”. The Wolfsburg are currently working – also in response to the exhaust gas scandal – for a new strategy towards the mobility service.

Gett has evolved from its development site in Israel from a leading supplier in Europe for the placement of drivers per app. In contrast to US rival Uber have but official licenses for passenger transport. The company founded in 2010, is in more than 60 cities active – as in London, Moscow and New York

Toyota suggests only now with a stake in Via this direction, the claims to be in more than 450 cities acting – found but with the taxi industry and many authorities has created. Toyota wants to offer its vehicles Uber drivers and invested in the development of artificial intelligence for self-propelled cars. And with Opel’s parent company General Motors bought the third of the three largest carmaker recently a stake in Uber-rival Lyft to develop autonomous driving taxis.

Daimler and BMW pull ahead

Unlike the rival Daimler is joined with the purchase of MyTaxi long in the business of running services and launched early the CarSharing offer Car2Go. BMW leaves its car rental fleet drive Now also go for years. By contrast, VW took a zigzag course and retired in January from its pilot project Quicar back. The hoped-for success had not come.

“The carmaker has never fallen into a multi-front war. So many problem areas are on they approached,” says Stefan Randak, head of the Practice Group Automotive in interim management provider Atreus. Manufacturers would develop new ideas as they distance themselves from each other when this is no longer possible due to engine technology. get out from the car sharing as VW did, was shortsighted, criticized Randak. For successful change however the carmakers lacked skilled IT workers, inspiration and know-how from outside.

paradigm shift is imminent

Even though he comes late – the transformation can succeed the automakers. Now need new business models and for strong external partners. The cannibalization of existing business, they have to accept and quickly build new expertise, as for collecting and analyzing large amounts of data and the development of new services.

“It starts a paradigm shift,” says Autoexperte steel. An autonomous driving taxi would be significantly cheaper for many people, than owning a car in the parking space, steel has calculated. “In perspective, one can expect the first robotic taxis to 2025 on the market.” The forecast shows steel: With its previous setting, Volkswagen CEO Muller has clearly miscalculated.

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In summary: The automobile companies have hesitated long, now they build new business on. Volkswagen and Toyota pull the competitors gradually rise in a online travel service intermediaries. They respond to the pressure by major IT companies such as Google and Apple going into the mobility business. A paradigm shift is imminent, compels the auto companies a huge change.