The Volkswagen Group will support Hamburg and ITS Germany in 2021 for hosting the World Congress for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) as a main partner and chair of the Host Organizing Committee. ERTICO (ITS Europe), organizer of the World Congress, announced the decision to stage the event in Germany with Hamburg as the hosting city at the ITS World Congress in Montréal.

With this decision, the mobility partnership between Hamburg and Volkswagen will be strengthened. Decisions have been taken on specific projects to develop Hamburg into a model city for future urban mobility. For the implementation of these projects, the Volkswagen Group will be calling on the broad-based competence of its brands.

Germany had submitted its bid to host the ITS World Congress 2021 together with the City of Hamburg and the active support of the Volkswagen Group. The application was part of the strategic mobility partnership between the Hanseatic City and the Volkswagen Group. The objective of the mobility partnership is to shape the urban mobility of the future together and to develop and position Hamburg internationally as a model city for forward-looking, sustainable and integrated urban mobility.

With the announcement concerning the 2021 World Congress, the joint implementation of a large number of future-oriented projects will start: for example, in connection with the objective of Hamburg to become a pioneer in autonomous driving in urban areas, the Group will send autonomous test vehicles to Hamburg’s city center.

In addition, MAN intends to test the use of autonomous trucks in the port of Hamburg and on selected highway sections. This allows the driver to carry out other work on the road; from the point of arrival in the port area, the truck will be operated fully autonomously. For safety reasons, a driver will initially remain on board. This way, the Volkswagen Group will help make private and goods traffic flow more efficient, safer and more environmentally compatible.

Another project involves the intelligent use of data acquired from sensors in vehicles of the Group fleet operated by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Using smart algorithms, additional information and services will be provided for the citizens and administration of Hamburg.

In addition, MOIA, the Volkswagen Group’s company for mobility services, is working on a project to develop new environmentally compatible mobility services for Hamburg. Within the framework of the project, a shuttle-on-demand service using eco-friendly electric vehicles is to be launched in 2018. This project will supplement public transport and offer an attractive alternative to private cars. Hamburger Hochbahn AG is the partner for this project.

In addition to implementing these projects, the Group intends to play a key role in the ITS World Congress 2021. The Group is a main partner and will also assume the chair of the Host Organizing Committee (HOC) for the planning and organization of the congress.

Beyond the projects in Hamburg, the Volkswagen Group is also actively involved in the development of intelligent, sustainable transport systems within the framework of TOGETHER - Strategy 2025. A key element of this commitment is the Group’s e-mobility offensive. At the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Volkswagen announced its “Roadmap E” comprehensive electrification initiative. By 2025, Group brands will be supplying more than 80 new electrified models to customers, including 50 all-electric vehicles and 30 plug-in-hybrids. (Earlier post.)

Another key topic is autonomous driving. Audi recently established an independent company, Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH, for self-driving systems. The development of the new Mobility Solutions business area is one of the key elements of “TOGETHER – Strategy 2025” on the way to becoming a mobility provider. For this purpose, the Volkswagen Group is developing intelligent future solutions – such as the pilot project “We by Volkswagen Deliver” of the Volkswagen brand in Berlin and at MOIA.