Volkswagen and Aeris Communications form joint venture for connected-car technology

Volkswagen Group of America, and Aeris Communications, a player in the Internet of Things (IoT), announced the formation of Ventic LLC, a joint venture that is the result of a long-term commitment between Volkswagen and Aeris in the development and operations of connected vehicle platform technologies. Ventic is jointly owned, with 51 percent split to Volkswagen and 49 percent to Aeris. The company will focus on Volkswagen brand vehicles in North America, starting with the launch of the next generation Car-Net in most MY20 vehicles.

Ventic offers a highly customizable approach to Volkswagen’s specific requirements. This gives Volkswagen the ability to manage the connected car program on a single platform, while preserving the ability to deploy solutions that differ based on region or vehicle model.

“Volkswagen is committed to connected vehicle technology, as we see a future where all cars are 100 percent connected at all times,” said Abdallah Shanti, Global CIO, Volkswagen Brand, and Member of the Board, Ventic LLC. “Our connectivity platform expands beyond remote services and vehicle safety and security. This platform has inherent flexibility which enables new business models through third-party integration and is foundational for V2X communications. Furthermore, this platform will serve our customers with delightful and useful functions, as well as being a gateway to other digital ecosystems.”

Key benefits of the Ventic platform can be summarized into three major categories: 

• Service flexibility and speed. The modern microservices-based platform architecture offers fast and flexible introduction of new services which parallel the development of a new application on a compatible smartphone. The platform architecture also provides the ability to change rules, such as access, in a dynamic way, supporting Volkswagen’s position in a shared mobility world.

• Operational efficiency. The platform architecture supports mobility across cloud platforms, as required by business needs and geographical restrictions with built-in system monitoring and operational KPIs.
• Customer experience. The Ventic device platform significantly improves response times with a service delivery architecture that optimizes an end-to-end system from wireless connection to telematics applications, while simultaneously addressing key concerns around hardware power management.

“The connected vehicle is at the center of the game-changing trends in the industry – autonomous, electric, shared,” said Raj Kanaya, General Manager of Automotive and Chief Marketing Officer, Aeris, and Member of the Board, Ventic LLC. “Through Ventic, we’re excited to be on this journey with Volkswagen.”