![\"Volkswagen](\"https:\/\/autorai.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/volkswagen-gen-urban-foto2-1280x720.jpg\")
Without traditional steering wheel or pedals<\/h2>\n
The Gen.Urban is designed without a traditional steering wheel or pedals. The test subject sits in the driver’s seat, while a trained safety driver monitors the vehicle from the passenger seat. If necessary, he or she can intervene at any time via a specially developed joystick control panel. The current test phase will initially be conducted with Volkswagen Group employees and will last several weeks. <\/p>\n
Building trust<\/h2>\n
Dr. Nikolai Ardey, Head of Volkswagen Group Innovation, explains, “Technology for autonomous driving is developing rapidly. With the research vehicle Gen.Urban, we want to understand exactly how passengers experience autonomous driving. This is important to build trust, through clear interaction, a calm environment and support systems that respond to the needs of occupants. Technology should connect with people, not the other way around. These insights will eventually be useful for the entire Group.”<\/em><\/p>\n The test route starts at the visitor parking lot at the headquarters. From there, a route of almost ten kilometers runs through the Wolfsburg city area, past the Sandkamp factory gate, Saar and Lessingstra\u00dfe, Brandenburger Platz, Breslauer Stra\u00dfe, Grauhorststra\u00dfe and back to the starting point via Heinrich-Nordhoff-Stra\u00dfe, among others. Traffic lights, traffic circles, road works, residential areas, industrial zones and possibly heavy traffic are part of the route. This was chosen to match typical challenges of urban traffic. Each test drive takes about 20 minutes. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Volkswagen Group Innovation A team from Volkswagen Group Innovation - consisting of designers, human factors specialists, software developers and materials…","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":160305,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-165525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTest route through Wolfsburg with recognizable traffic situations<\/h2>\n