Volkswagen has announced a new trial that will look to gauge reaction to a range of subscription-based services for its electric cars.
Set to kick off in six German cities, the tests will look at how ready customers are to take advantage of features such as pay-per-mile billing as well as paid-for optional extras that could be used to add extral features to a car’s infotainment. These could include additional satellite navigation maps, for instance.
It forms part of a wider offensive by Volkswagen to look at ‘data-driven’ services which are helped by electric vehicles’ connection to the internet.
Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter said:
Based on customer contacts, we will examine our customers’ preferences in three major categories – subscription models as an introduction to dual mobility, pay-per-mile billing and also additional functions on-demand such as navigation and a charging flat rate. Based on the experience we gain from this project, we will develop new services for the entire fleet.
The firm also announced that it would be introducing more frequent over-the-air updates for its electric ID.3 and ID.4 models. Issued every 12 weeks, the updates look set to start this summer.
Both Volkswagen ID.3 and Volkswagen ID.4 sit within Volkswagen’s new ID range of electric vehicles. Due to be expanded over the coming years, these vehicles benefit from the firm’s latest platforms and technologies.