Volkswagen#nbsp;AG (VW) is#nbsp;a#nbsp;German automotive conglomerate with more than 120 factories in#nbsp;30 countries worldwide, employing over 600,000 employees. The company produces products under 12 brands: Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Scania, MAN, Navistar, and motorcycles under the Ducati brand.
As#nbsp;early as#nbsp;2018, the German automotive conglomerate#nbsp;VW embarked on#nbsp;an#nbsp;ambitious project#nbsp;— a#nbsp;full transition to#nbsp;digital design of#nbsp;its vehicles.
In#nbsp;early 2023, the#nbsp;VW Group decided to#nbsp;hire approximately 2,800 additional#nbsp;IT specialists to#nbsp;develop advanced digital solutions.
During the digital transformation, VW#nbsp;not only incorporates technology but also reimagines approaches to#nbsp;performing routine operations.
The automotive conglomerate uses augmented reality (AR) to#nbsp;save time, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency at#nbsp;all stages of#nbsp;its product lifecycle, starting from the design evaluation of#nbsp;future vehicles. AR#nbsp;is#nbsp;also integrated into production, training, retraining, and post-sales service.
Today, we#nbsp;will focus on#nbsp;the use of#nbsp;AR for remote interaction with dealerships, which play a#nbsp;key role in#nbsp;creating a#nbsp;positive customer experience and, consequently, have a#nbsp;direct impact on#nbsp;new car sales.
By#nbsp;2028, Volkswagen, in#nbsp;accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement, committed to#nbsp;producing over 22 million electric vehicles to#nbsp;achieve complete carbon neutrality by#nbsp;2050.
For service center employees, this means that, in#nbsp;the near future, due to#nbsp;the introduction of#nbsp;new technologies, the complexity of#nbsp;working with vehicles will increase at#nbsp;an#nbsp;accelerated pace, and the need for rapid training of#nbsp;new and retraining of#nbsp;existing employees will become even more critical. However, one-time training, even of#nbsp;the highest quality, does not guarantee quick problem resolution. Operational support from factory experts ensures reliability and high-speed service.
To#nbsp;address the issue of#nbsp;constantly growing complexity in#nbsp;service maintenance and to#nbsp;provide technicians in#nbsp;VW Commercial Vehicles dealerships in#nbsp;the#nbsp;UK with real-time remote support, it#nbsp;was decided to#nbsp;implement augmented reality (AR) technologies.
Problem:
The speed of#nbsp;repairing commercial vehicles is#nbsp;crucial, as#nbsp;the vehicle owner loses money due to#nbsp;missed opportunities while the vehicle is#nbsp;in#nbsp;the shop.
Maintaining the competence level of#nbsp;service center employees consistently is#nbsp;challenging, partly due to#nbsp;high turnover in#nbsp;the industry and the introduction of#nbsp;more complex technologies, components, and assemblies.
Solution:
67 van centers and 30 authorized repair workshops for#nbsp;VW Commercial Vehicles across the#nbsp;UK gained the ability to#nbsp;connect with industrial-grade#nbsp;AR glasses directly to#nbsp;technical support experts, being right next to#nbsp;the vehicle, and to#nbsp;show complex cases requiring expert evaluation and solutions from a#nbsp;first-person perspective.
Effect:
A#nbsp;93% increase in#nbsp;repair efficiency.
A#nbsp;reduction of#nbsp;2.5 tons of#nbsp;carbon dioxide emissions by#nbsp;the Technical Support Center by#nbsp;eliminating the need for employees to#nbsp;travel to#nbsp;service centers.
Increased customer satisfaction by#nbsp;reducing service time.
This is#nbsp;just one example of#nbsp;the application of#nbsp;AR within Volkswagen#nbsp;AG.