Volkswagen CEO calls on car industry to protect consumer data as cars and technology ‘move closer together’
The head of Volkswagen has called on the automobile industry to make a “voluntary commitment” to protect consumer data as connected technology continues to work its way into our vehicles.
Speaking at the CeBIT opening ceremony in Hanover, Martin Winterkorn, CEO and chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen said that as the two “ground-breaking” inventions of the automobile and computer move closer together, the future "needs to be shaped in an even more intelligent way".
He commented: “The car must not become a data monster. We already protect our customers against a wide variety of risks such as aquaplaning, micro-sleep and long, time-consuming congestion. With the same attention to our responsibilities, we intend to protect our customers against the abuse of their data.
“I clearly say yes to big data, yes to greater security and convenience, but no to paternalism and Big Brother. At this point, the entire industry is called upon. We need a voluntary commitment by the automobile industry. The Volkswagen Group is ready to play its part.”
Speaking about the future of the automotive industry, Winterkorn said that the increasingly intensive networking of cars with their surroundings and automatic driving would be key topics. He said the Volkswagen Group has recently launched a new initiative called 'Future Tracks' that will aim to find answers to challenges within the industry. He added that “digitalisation will play a key role in this process”.
Last month Volvo launched a new ‘roam delivery’ app that allows consumers to have their shopping delivered straight to their boot, thanks to a new digital key technology.