VW technology from China: Planned for global use
At the technology day in Hefei, Volkswagen Group China unveiled a new technology package along with plans for markets outside of China. The company aims to utilize its local developments for global markets going forward and to develop China into a central hub for innovation and exports.
Image: Volkswagen-Group China
Volkswagen Group China presented the new technology package, consisting of software, electronics, and platforms, under the name VEGA at its technology day in Hefei. With this, VW is currently the only non-Chinese automaker present in the Chinese market with a technology platform independently developed locally.
CMP and CSP as the Basis for Future VW Models in China
Two different platforms are available as the foundation for future VW models in China. The China Main Platform (CMP) is designed for electric and plug-in hybrid models in the A-segment. It aims to achieve a CLTC range of over 600 kilometers with fuel consumption of around 11 kWh per 100 kilometers. The charging time from 30% to 80% is 25 minutes. For the luxury segment, the China Scalable Platform (CSP) features an 850-volt architecture that allows charging from 10% to 80% in 13 minutes. This brings charging stops that take as long as refueling a significant step closer again. Purely electric CSP models are expected to achieve ranges of over 800 kilometers with consumption below 13 kWh per 100 kilometers.
Advanced Assistance Systems Are Essential in China
Driver assistance systems hold particular importance, as sophisticated ADAS features have become key purchasing criteria in China. For assisted driving, software subsidiary Carizon has developed the first self-designed L2++ comprehensive solution, HyperSense 8 (HS 8). This system will go into production in 2026 on seven new electric models from Chinese joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen, SAIC Volkswagen, and VW Anhui.
HS 8 utilizes a powerful onboard computer integrated with VW’s vehicle control system, enabling navigation-based driving (NOA) both on highways and in urban traffic. It also includes automated parking assistants for all everyday and parking scenarios.
To prepare these driving assistants and future autonomous driving functions for China’s road conditions, Volkswagen uses a virtual testing environment based on the company’s own AI world model, GAIA 2.0. The software runs approximately five million simulation kilometers per day using 30 million real-world scenario segments, with plans to scale this up to ten million training kilometers per day in the future. Through this massive dataset, the system is intended to learn how to handle even rare and unexpected extreme situations in China’s road traffic safely.
Level-4 autonomy planned for 2029
By 2027, the commercialization of Level-3 systems is planned, allowing drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel permanently under certain conditions. In Hefei, Volkswagen recently received official approval for road tests in real-world scenarios. In the long term, the company aims for Level 4 by 2029, where the vehicle can handle all driving tasks entirely on its own. The technical foundation for this is expected to be the third generation of the CEA electronics architecture (CEA 3.0) along with a control chip developed by Volkswagen called C7H.
Developments in China to be used globally
The substantial investments in China’s technology ecosystem are no longer merely a local project aimed at the Far Eastern market. Four years ago, the company launched its strategic transformation under the slogan “In China, for China” to ensure competitiveness locally through tailored developments. Now, Volkswagen is making a strategic shift: the previous guiding principle has been replaced by a global focus of “In China, Beyond China.” As a result, the Chinese site is evolving from a mere sales market into a central research hub and export node for the company’s global operations.
In addition to exporting vehicles and using technologies developed in China in emerging markets, the use of Chinese electronics in Europe may also become feasible soon. Currently, models produced in China of the Volkswagen and Jetta brands are already being shipped to the Middle East, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
By the end of 2026, exports are set to expand to markets such as Mexico, Egypt, and Vietnam, with further countries in the ASEAN region and South America following gradually. Beyond mere vehicle exports, the combination of the CMP platform and CEA electronics architecture serves as a technical foundation for upcoming model lines in the Global South. South America is expected to be the first international region to integrate these developments into its local product portfolio starting in 2030, followed by South Africa.