We have already informed you that the Volkswagen company is experiencing very serious financial difficulties, which is why it has taken a number of measures. After mass layoffs, wage cuts and the closing of some plants, the company has now decided to take another step to save money.
As Kai Grünitz, head of technical development, says in an interview with Automobilwoche magazine, the brand intends to reduce the time needed to develop new products. According to preliminary estimates, Volkswagen will devote 30 to 36 months to the creation of new models.
In this way, it will be possible to avoid obsolescence of models even at the stage of release. After all, now this process takes up to 4-5 years from the beginning of development to the moment when new products enter the market, which is a lot for the modern car industry.
VW also plans to reduce the number of test prototypes by at least 40% and reduce the time for real tests. At the same time, a larger number of simulations will be conducted. The company is confident that this will in no way affect the quality of the manufactured models=
But the new step will allow a significant reduction in costs. Also the assembly time of cars will be reduced in the factories. This will be achieved through the use of more advanced tools on the conveyors.
The next stage of cost reduction will be to reduce the number of features. Preference will be given to useful functionality that, according to the manufacturer, has real value. All these moments will allow the company to become more competitive in the market.