The Volkswagen Group has agreed to take over BlackBerry’s European research and development centre, which is based in the German city of Bochum. As part of the acquisition, it’s created a new business called Volkswagen Infotainment GmbH.
VW is already working on connecting its vehicles to entertainment and information sources. It’s previously announced a deal with Vodafone for embedded SIM cards in vehicles and has also been investigating wireless charging.
Dr Heinz-Jakob Neußer, a board member for Volkswagen’s Development Division, said “Connectivity will be a key feature of the car of the future. Many customers are expecting connected vehicles of a new dimension in terms of convenience and road safety. Around the globe, our customers’ aspirations will change rapidly, leading to shortened cycles of innovation for systems and functions. In order to be able to meet these challenges it is necessary for us to broaden and expand our options through additional know-how.”