PALO ALTO (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen and Tesla competitor Rivian are launching winter tests of their first vehicles one year after founding their joint venture. Among other objectives, these vehicles will subject the electronic architecture--intended for Volkswagen's more affordable ID.Every1 electric car planned for 2027--to rigorous testing. Early next year, reference vehicles equipped with technology for a future Audi model and a car from VW's revived US brand Scout will also be put through their paces in the snowy conditions of Sweden.
The joint venture, named Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies (RV Tech), is developing the electronic architecture for VW's future electric vehicles targeting Western markets, primarily outside China. Last year, Volkswagen committed to a multi-billion-euro partnership with Rivian in a bid to catch up technologically with Tesla and Chinese competitors.
A key difference in the architecture developed by Rivian is that it is organized by zones within the vehicle rather than by function. Traditionally, there are separate control units for individual tasks such as temperature regulation. In Rivian's approach, functions are bundled--so, for example, a computer on the driver's side can control both the accelerator pedal and the power windows.
Shorter Wiring Harnesses
This solution reduces complexity and shortens wiring harnesses--thereby also lowering costs. Pioneers like Tesla and several Chinese manufacturers are also adopting zone-based architectures.
The collaboration with Volkswagen is focused, among other things, on ensuring that Rivian-developed control units work seamlessly with components from the German group. The ID.Every1, which is targeted to be priced around 20,000 euros, is expected to operate with a single zone controller, while VW's premium models will require more controllers due to their greater range of functions.
The joint venture could offer this architecture to other manufacturers in the future, according to co-CEOs Carsten Helbing and Wassym Bensaid. For now, however, the priority is to implement the technology within Volkswagen and Rivian vehicles./so/DP/zb
