The revolution of the automotive industry: Volkswagen launches its own App Store

The Volkswagen Group has just unveiled a major revolution in the automotive industry by launching its own App Store for its cars. This innovation, planned for the upcoming high-end Audi models, will be the first of its kind in the automotive industry. Discover how Volkswagen plans to transform your daily commute with this unprecedented technological innovation!

The Volkswagen Group announced at the MWC in Barcelona its intention to add an App Store to its cars. This decision may not have been obvious a few years ago, but it is now becoming more common as cars become computers on four wheels. Brands belonging to the Volkswagen Group, including Audi, Porsche, and many others, have created their own operating system. Volkswagen will therefore need to create its own app store to remain competitive.

Audi will be the first brand in the group to offer this feature, starting in July 2023. Cariad, Volkswagen's software development subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Harman, a Samsung subsidiary, to create the necessary foundations for a third-party app store. Several partnerships have already been signed, with an impressive list of third-party apps that will be available from launch. This includes streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, and TuneIn, which is the most obvious choice currently for listening to music online.

Volkswagen does not intend to limit itself to streaming apps and will offer apps in multiple categories, including tourist guides (Yelp), weather apps (The Weather Channel), and even the Vivaldi web browser, which had already been integrated by Renault. Apps specialized in electric vehicle charging (Plugshare, ChargeHub) and route calculations (Sygic and especially ABRP, the reference for electric vehicles) will also be available.

To entertain passengers during charging phases, the Volkswagen App Store will also offer social networks with a TikTok app, games (including FRVR, which offers multiple small games), and even Webex for organizing meetings during charging. The store will be regularly updated with new third-party apps.

The launch will be on a few high-end Audi models in North America and Europe. Expansion is then planned for both other regions and other models of the Audi brand, as well as other brands in the Volkswagen Group. This new experience could become the norm throughout the automotive industry. Google is arguably the most advanced with Android Automotive, although the apps offered through this channel are still handpicked.

However, the Volkswagen Group will not offer this store to cars that are already in circulation and running on proprietary software. This novelty will only be available on new models, starting this summer for Audi.

This Volkswagen Group initiative is a response to drivers' expectations, who want to have access to their favorite apps while driving, without having to use their smartphone. With this new app store, the German group will offer a more personalized and interactive driving experience. Drivers will be able to choose the apps they want to use while driving and install them directly on their car.

The launch of this app store is an important step in the transformation of the automotive industry. Cars are becoming increasingly connected, and manufacturers must adapt to meet the needs of drivers. Manufacturers that do not offer connected services risk being quickly overtaken by the competition.

The choice of Harman, a Samsung subsidiary, to create the necessary foundations for this app store is a wise one. Harman is a major player in the automotive technology industry and has recognized expertise in designing infotainment systems for cars. Cariad, Volkswagen's software subsidiary, has therefore made the right choice in partnering with Harman.

The launch of this app store is an important step for the Volkswagen Group, which intends to remain competitive in the automotive market. With this new development, drivers will be able to enjoy a more interactive and personalized driving experience. We just have to wait for the launch scheduled for this summer to learn more about this app store and the car models that will benefit from it first.For all questions, please contact our experts at Spinelli VW. They will be glad to help you.