Reference Vehicle Begins Winter Testing
Global Development Organization Formed with 1,500 Staff, ‘[Financial News] Volkswagen Group and Rivian’s joint venture, ‘Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies (RV Tech),’ announced on the 18th that they are preparing for their ‘software-defined vehicle (SDV)’ extreme cold testing, marking the first anniversary of their establishment. ‘,
, ‘RV Tech, which is working on developing ‘zonal architecture’ to be applied to electric vehicles under group brands like Volkswagen, Audi, and Scout, is preparing to begin winter testing in the first quarter of 2026. Established in November 2024, RV Tech has secured over 1,500 developers through a global network in the US, Canada, Sweden, and Serbia, and has recently set up a European collaboration hub in Berlin to strengthen cooperation with Volkswagen Group subsidiaries. ‘,
, ‘Volkswagen Group plans to sequentially apply the joint architecture to next-generation electric vehicles based on the SSP platform, aiming to expand it to up to 30 million units by 2030. The SDV architecture features high-performance central computer capabilities, enabling over-the-air (OTA) updates and advanced autonomous driving functions. ‘,
, ‘Rivian plans to apply the technology developed by the joint venture to future products like the R2, R3, and R3X, while continuously incorporating the latest software into its current vehicle lineup. ‘,
, ‘RV Tech plans to conduct performance verification for reference vehicles in extreme cold environments during the first quarter of 2026. Volkswagen’s entry-level electric vehicle, ‘ID. Everyone,’ is also included in the test subjects. Production models featuring SDV architecture are slated for release in 2027. ‘,
, ‘Oliver Blume, Volkswagen Group CEO, said, “RV Tech is rapidly developing our group’s future vehicle architecture,” and added, “By closely collaborating with brand entities within the group, we have established a technical foundation enabling a new digital driving experience at a reasonable price in just 12 months.” ‘,
, ‘RJ Scaringe, Rivian CEO, also commented, “The technical advancements by RV Tech set a new standard in the automotive software sector,” expressing anticipation for the release of the R2 model in the first half of next year, which will clearly demonstrate the technological progress achieved through the joint venture.”\n’]