Waymo Expands Into Germany & Tesla Pumping Up Manufacturing Whereas Volkswagen In Disaster

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The auto business information of the week needs to be Volkswagen’s obvious disaster and plan to chop 4 factories, half of its fashions, and about 100,000 workers.

So, once I noticed different information popping out of Germany, I had to consider Volkswagen and what it’s been missing, or has an excessive amount of of.

Robotaxis — Waymo & MOIA

To begin with, the Waymo information shortly caught my eye. The US robotaxi agency hasn’t introduced service or any plans in Germany, however it simply arrange Waymo Germany GmbH in Munich, Germany. So, sure, it’s clear this nation is now on its record of locations to launch service. It might probably no begin detailed mapping and take a look at drives within the nation. For anybody desperate to see the place Waymo expands subsequent and how briskly it scales up electrical robotaxi service, that is thrilling information.

Volkswagen, after all, has its MOIA autonomous mobility options division. However we by no means appear to listen to something about that. Has it made any progress? Does it have any vital plans? Nicely, there have been three press releases from the corporate this yr, one among which I did see and write about (however type of forgot about), and two extra that I didn’t apparently see. Right here’s what’s occurring with MOIA:

So, yeah, progress is being made and there are some notable plans in place. We’ll should hold a greater eye on MOIA.

Nonetheless, it might’t be uplifting that Waymo is now strolling into Volkswagen’s/MOIA’s yard.

Tesla Jacking Up Manufacturing in Germany

Then there’s the information that Tesla is now planning to extend manufacturing at its German manufacturing facility by 20% on the again of surging shopper demand. Beginning in October, the corporate will improve its output to 7,500 automobiles/week.

So, Tesla is rising manufacturing in Germany whereas Volkswagen is making extreme cuts? That may’t look good to staff, traders, and most people.

Word that Volkswagen Group does promote much more EVs in Europe than Tesla. Many individuals don’t know that. Nonetheless, the developments famous above usually are not doubtful.

Maybe Volkswagen’s efforts and strikes into EVs haven’t been robust sufficient. Maybe it ought to have been specializing in a sooner transition. If that’s the place the market is headed, why cling onto outdated tech? Maybe it’s simply too exhausting for a legacy automaker to make this transition in a clean and trouble-free manner.

Anyway, it’s acquired to sting that Tesla is rising manufacturing 20% proper there in Germany as Volkswagen Group is speaking about historic manufacturing facility closures and job cuts. And it’s acquired to be a bit complicated that that is occurring whilst Volkswagen Group is, by way of whole gross sales, kicking Tesla’s butt in Europe. I don’t know what the answer is, however my bias clearly tells me that it will make plenty of sense to simply concentrate on main the best way on the applied sciences of the long run and be extra keen to drop fossil fuels. I do suppose Volkswagen’s investments and partnerships with Rivian and XPENG look very sensible, and doubtless the easiest way to leap right into a extra tech-savvy, management place within the EV world.

What do you suppose?