VW is reportedly struggling with the ID.3’s software
Volkswagen’s ID.3 rollout might have hit a snag. Germany’s Manager Magazin sources claim the EV’s underlying software has been rushed and rife with bugs, including dropouts and other issues. Test drivers are supposedly finding up to 300 errors per day. The magazine even claims that the software problems are dire enough that they could lead VW to miss its summer 2020 launch window.
The same outlet had claimed in December that cars rolling off the line wouldn’t have a full software stack.
Not surprisingly, VW objects to any talk of delays. A spokesman told Automotive News Europe that the ID.3 was still on track to debut this summer, although he didn’t confirm or deny the number of bugs.
Whether or not the report is accurate, a lot is riding on the ID.3’s success. It’s VW’s first ground-up electric car design, and should be relatively affordable compared to luxury models from its sibling brands Audi and Porsche. The MEB platform and the software will also be crucial to VW’s future — they’ll form the underpinnings for the US-bound ID.4 and a total of 27 VW group models by the end of 2022. If there are any major setbacks, they could create problems for the company’s entire electrification strategy.
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