MONACO – The real gamechanger for the automotive industry are smart cars, i.e. smart cars, not electric ones. To say it one who knows about engines, namely the number one of Volkswagen Herbert Diess. The 62-year-old manager who is looking to revolutionize one of Europe’s largest carmakers essentially says the move to battery electric (EV) vehicles, which has yet to be supported by actual sales, has been sealed.
Now the turning point comes from elsewhere. “Autonomous driving will really change our industry like nothing else before,” Diess said speaking in Munich ahead of the official opening of the auto show, adding that the transition to electrified cars was “fairly easy” in comparison. . “The real gamechanger is software and autonomous driving,” says Diess whose comments come as environmental pressure on the automotive sector is mounting, with the European Commission proposing in July a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035. .
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