Mr. Schliewe, Functions on Demand currently refer primarily to hardware functions: What can we expect in the future?
We see the growing need of our customers for carefree use instead of ownership. The focus of Functions on Demand is on individual needs, enabling flexible activation of more and more features that our customers can then use to suit their lifestyle. In the future, the vehicle will become a living space. The aim is to offer customers features that support precisely this. Important areas here are, for example, relaxation, entertainment, and well-being. I can therefore imagine that in the future our range of products will include not only hardware equipment but also other entertainment features such as games or office functions, as well as new technologies such as automated driving functions. Automated driving will be a game changer, particularly for longer journeys, enabling drivers to enjoy more relaxed mobility and giving them a whole new level of freedom.
How will increasing digitization influence mobility in the future in general?
The mobility of the future will be networked on a fundamental level. The customer experience and the networking of transport ecosystems will become increasingly crucial. Until now, much of the focus has been purely on the interaction between the vehicle and those driving it. These ecosystems will become more holistic. For mobility as a whole, network and intelligent transport systems could help improve traffic flow and make journeys more efficient in the future.
What would you personally like to see?
I associate mobility with experiences and the time you spend with people who are important to you. And I believe that automated driving will fundamentally change the mobility of the future in this direction. The current Audi concept cars already show a vision of the mobility of the future and how the car could become a place for individual experiences - which can then also be permanently or flexibly expanded to suit personal interests thanks to Functions on Demand.