Extract of an article from Automotive News Europe
Audi’s rise in the 2010s coincided with a companywide commitment to provide, as the brand’s motto states, Vorsprung durch Technik (“progress through technology”). But Audi has had three CEOs and five R&D chiefs in less than a decade. Now comes Board Member for Technical Development Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, and he wants to calm the turmoil.
In an interview with Automotive News Europe, Rothernpieler shared some thoughts we find particularly compelling:
“Constant turnover is tremendously problematic and negative, particularly when it comes to engineering. This has come to an end. I have been in my position for more than a year and expect to be here for a long time, with the aim of restoring stability and continuity to Audi’s technical development with a clear strategy and sustainable decisions.
“The euphoria in the auto industry around Level 3 has subsided substantially. We are still having an extensive dialogue with the authorities regarding the complete approval of these functions. Currently, there is no legal framework for Level 3 automated driving and it is not possible to homologate such functions anywhere in the world in a series production car. We still believe in automated driving technology and we were the first to develop this kind of functionality for a series introduction.
“My personal view is that China is a significant driving force in the field of automated driving technology. Audi is working closely in this area with local partners and authorities. As is the case everywhere, a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders is necessary for automated driving.”