ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab develops technologies and solutions for mobility of the future
› ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab promotes exchanges with external partners for new mobility concepts
› Focal points include Car2X communication and new mobile online services
› Digitalisation and connectivity are most important pillars of ŠKODA 2025 Strategy
Mladá Boleslav, 24 August 2017 – ŠKODA AUTO is strengthening its innovation expertise with the DigiLab. The ideas workshop has been promoting exchanges with creative minds and advancing the development of pioneering connectivity and mobility services throughout the company for one year. The focus is on topics such as Smart Home, online streaming and Car2X communication.
As part of the 2025 Strategy, ŠKODA AUTO has defined digitalisation as one of the pillars for the company’s future development. Here, the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab is playing a key role by strengthening the Czech manufacturer’s innovative capability and digital development expertise, among other things. At the Prague think tank, around 30 creative minds research and develop new business models, solutions and products for the mobility of the future. They rely on a lively exchange with external start-ups. Cooperation with other future workshops of Volkswagen Group is another priority. The ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab is working closely with the digitalisation managers of Volkswagen Group and the brands, for example. Thus, the exchange of experiences and the results generated benefit all of Volkswagen Group.
Pioneering vehicles continue to play a key role in the development of new mobility and connectivity offers. To integrate these into the digital world even more, the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab is working on Car2X communication, for example. This allows fleet vehicles to exchange data with one another, to be controlled remotely and be conveniently integrated into the Smart Home management. ŠKODA has already laid the foundations for this technology with the mobile online services which are currently available for virtually all ŠKODA models.
As a key approach in the 2025 Strategy, digitalisation concerns all of the company’s departments – from training and development, and the development of vehicles using modern virtual reality and 3D technology, through to Industry 4.0 solutions. For one thing, this means that digitalisation will influence the traditional ŠKODA AUTO business of car manufacturing even more heavily. Sales from digital business models such as mobility services on the other hand are expected to achieve a scale similar to that of the revenues from the core business in as few as eight years.
