Volkswagen aims to introduce more customer-oriented and AI-powered features into its vehicles so as to bring benefits to consumers, said Thomas Schafer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand.
At the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China 2026, Volkswagen is rolling out an unprecedented 13 new models designed specifically for Chinese consumers under its "In China, for China" strategy.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Schafer stressed the need to balance German engineering discipline with China's rapid cycles, while pointing to clear momentum in the next era of new energy vehicles.
"In Europe, the customer has different demands, a different focus. But underlying is still the same. We always focus on quality, reliability and safety. And for Volkswagen that's non-negotiable. It's always been our DNA, part of the German engineering. When we are in China, we have to have shorter development cycles. We have to focus on customer demands in terms of features and all that. Wherever we build cars and engineer cars, we meet the customer demand," said Schafer.
"The journey is clear: it's NEV intelligent connected vehicles for the future. I think the focus will be a lot more on pure electric, improved battery technology, and software features that give customers real benefits. Not just playing gimmicks, but real benefits," he said.
Volkswagen sees AI as the backbone of its transformation, with Schafer stressing its central role in the industry's ongoing upheaval.
"AI plays a major role. It's almost become an operating system. You see opportunity to use data in a way that you could have never done before. It's almost like an industrial revolution of a new kind. It will revolutionize the industry. At the same time it will bring features into vehicles that are fantastic for the customer. It gives additional benefits. And that's what it should be," he said.
With the theme "Future of Intelligence," Auto China 2026 opened Friday and runs through May 3, showcasing 1,451 vehicles, including 181 debuts and 71 concept cars.
Volkswagen aims for customer-oriented, AI-powered vehicles to benefit consumers: brand CEO
