Volkswagen Group is enhancing its driver assistance systems with sensor and image data from customer vehicles and real-world traffic situations.

Volkswagen says the goal is to make driver assistance systems as precise and smooth as possible

The initiative rolls out first in Germany from Q4 of 2024, starting with selected models from the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi brands before progressing to other group brands.

Volkswagen said the use of high-quality data from real traffic situations was central to continuous optimisation of its driver assistance systems, but added that customer consent will be required before data is used and all data protection regulations will be followed.

The automaker said customers would benefit from the improvements through software updates in the vehicle.

Volkswagen Group already uses its vehicles to help drive overall traffic safety. Anonymised ‘swarm’ data is used to generate high-resolution maps, amongst other areas, enabling lane guidance functionality in areas without road markings.

The addition of real-world data from customer vehicles will enable developers to optimise driver assistance systems further.

Volkswagen Group said: “The goal is to make driver assistance systems as precise and smooth as possible. Users should perceive them as comfortable and useful and ideally always keep them activated. Active assistance systems offer increased safety for all: both the vehicles with activated systems and the road users in the immediate vicinity benefit from them.”

Data will only be transferred in specific scenarios, such as use of the emergency brake assistant, manual full braking and sudden evasive manoeuvres.

VW also said that certain sensor, function and image data are particularly relevant for development work.

The project starts first with models from the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi brands equipped with the E3 1.1 and E3 1.2 architectures that are technically enabled for image data transfer. This includes the all-electric ID. model family from Volkswagen, as well as new models from Audi that span the Q6 e-tron, A6 e-tron, A5 and Q5.

Other group brands plan to gradually join the initiative and develop their product portfolios accordingly.

VW also says the data transfer may affect pedestrians and cyclists.

Details of the recording conditions and data protection declarations are now online for Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi, followed by other group brands as they join the project.