Research and development risks
For this risk category, the likelihood of occurrence is classified as high (previous year: high) and the potential extent of damage is classified as medium (previous year: medium).
The most significant risks from the QRP result from the inability to develop products in line with demand and requirements, especially with regard to e-mobility and digitalization.
Risks arising from research and development
The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation process. For multinational corporations like Volkswagen, this means risks in the areas of customer/market, technological advancements and legislation. One risk posed is the implementation of ever more stringent emission and fuel consumption regulations, such as C6 in China or EU7 in Europe from 2025. New test procedures and test cycles (e.g. the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, WLTP), and their progressive tightening, as well as compliance with approval processes (homologation) are becoming increasingly complex and time-consuming. The test specifications and homologation procedures also vary greatly from country to country.
On a national and international level, there are numerous legal requirements regarding the use, handling and storage of substances and mixtures (including restrictions concerning chemicals, heavy metals, biocides, persistent organic pollutants). There is therefore a risk of non-conformity in the manufacture, procurement and introduction of products such as automobiles or replacement parts.
The economic success and competitiveness of the Volkswagen Group depend on how swiftly we are able to tailor our portfolio of products and services to changing conditions. Given the intensity of competition and speed of technological development, for example in the fields of digitalization and automated driving, there is a risk of failing to identify relevant trends early enough to respond accordingly.
We use the latest findings from the world of physics and other areas of science to plot our course. In addition, we conduct research such as trend analyses and customer surveys and examine the relevance of the results for our customers. We counter the risk that it may not be possible to develop modules, vehicles, or services – especially in relation to e-mobility, digitalization and software – within the specified time frame, to the required quality standards, or in line with cost specifications, by continuously and systematically monitoring the progress of all projects.
To reduce the risk of patent infringements, we conduct thorough analyses of third-party industrial property rights; increasingly also in relation to communication technologies.
We regularly compare the results of all these analyses with the respective project targets; in the event of any discrepancies, we introduce appropriate countermeasures. Our end-to-end project organization fosters cooperation across all of the departments involved in the process, ensuring that specific requirements are incorporated into the development process as early as possible and that their implementation is planned in good time.
Risks and opportunities from the modular toolkit strategy
We are continuously expanding our modular toolkits, focusing on future customer requirements, legal requirements and infrastructural requirements.
However, with higher volumes there is a higher risk that supply chain disruption – for example due to a shortage of semiconductors – or quality problems may affect an increasing number of vehicles.
The Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB) is an extremely flexible vehicle architecture that was created to allow conceptual dimensions – such as the wheelbase, track width, wheel size and seat position – to be harmonized throughout the Group and utilized flexibly. Other dimensions, for example the distance from the pedals to the middle of the front wheels, are always the same, ensuring a uniform system in the front end of the car. Thanks to the resulting synergies, we are able to reduce both development costs and the necessary one-time expenses, as well as manufacturing times. The toolkits also allow us to produce different models from different brands in varying quantities, using the same equipment in a single plant. This means that our capacities can be used with greater flexibility throughout the entire Group, enabling us to achieve efficiency gains.
We have also transferred this principle of standardization with maximum flexibility to the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB) and Premium Platform Electric (PPE), concepts developed for all-electric drives. The synergies and efficiency gains offered by the modular toolkit strategy are enabling us to bring e-mobility into mass production worldwide with the MEB- and PPE-based vehicles. In future, we aim to reinforce these synergistic effects by combining the MEB and PPE in the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP).