Audi launches “Artemis” project for innovation in autonomous and EV technology

Markus Duesmann launched a unit for the accelerated development of additional car models two months after he took over as the new CEO at Audi. The head of the high-tech project “Artemis” will be Alex Hitzinger, successful chief motorsport engineer and currently driver of autonomous driving in the group.

The “Artemis” project will develop a highly efficient electric car for Audi in agile processes by 2024. – (photo by Audi)

The first step with a team of automotive and technology experts is to “quickly and unbureaucratically develop a pioneering model for Audi,” says Duesmann. The resources and technologies of the entire Volkswagen Group are available to him. Duesmann and his group colleagues also expect the “Artemis” project to be a blueprint for the future, agile development of automobiles throughout the Volkswagen Group.


“The brands of the Volkswagen Group stand for excellent technologies – and have potential for much more,” says AUDI AG CEO Markus Duesmann. “Naturally, the current electric offensive in the Volkswagen Group with 75 planned e-models will tie up all capacities by 2029. The obvious question was how we would implement additional high-tech benchmarks without jeopardizing the affordability of existing projects and at the same time take advantage of new opportunities in the markets. ”The project team should be given a high degree of freedom and should be global, from the high-tech hub INCampus in Ingolstadt to the West coast of the United States work. The company’s own car.Software.org, which is also based in Ingolstadt, will contribute digital offers. “Artemis” focuses on new technologies related to electrical, highly automated driving with specific model reference. The first order is a highly efficient electric car that is expected to hit the streets in 2024. The creative team will also create a wide-ranging ecosystem around the car, creating a new business model for the entire usage phase.

The head of the “Artemis” project will be Alex Hitzinger, who will report directly to Markus Duesmann from June 1, 2020. As the previous board member responsible for technical development at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Hitzinger also headed the topic of autonomous driving in the Volkswagen Group as senior vice president. “I appreciate Alex Hitzinger for his high level of innovation and implementation. We need both qualities for major technological advances, ”says Audi boss Duesmann, who also has overall responsibility for research and development in the Volkswagen Group. “I also rely on his integration expertise when it comes to incorporating future achievements into new products together with the development departments of our major corporate brands.

Hitzinger started his automotive career as a development engineer at Toyota Motorsport. At Ford / Cosworth, he became the youngest chief developer in Formula 1. Under his leadership, the first Formula 1 engine was built in 2006 with a speed range of up to 20,000 rpm. After Red Bull Technology, Hitzinger came to the Volkswagen Group for the first time and built up the very successful motorsport team at Porsche, which won the Le Mans 24-hour race and the World Endurance Championship from 2015 to 2017. After three years at Apple in Silicon Valley, where he set up and headed product development for autonomous vehicles, Hitzinger came back to the Volkswagen Group in 2019 for autonomous driving and the ID.

Author: Nabeel K
Email: nabeel@wheelsjoint.com



Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments