Volkswagen and TU Braunschweig create AI professorship for product development
Volkswagen Group and Technische Universität Braunschweig have established a new professorship focused on artificial intelligence methods in product development. The position, based at TU Braunschweig's Institute of Engineering Design, will launch by October 2026 and transition to permanent status after five years.
The role covers AI applications across the full development spectrum: virtual engineering, mechatronic systems, autonomous driving functions, and analysis of real-world vehicle data. It will operate within the university's Automotive Research Centre Niedersachsen (NFF), which houses over 1,000 researchers across 40 institutes and works with more than 50 industrial partners.
What product development teams need to know
The professorship aims to accelerate the transfer of research findings into industrial practice. For product development professionals, this means closer access to academic research on AI-driven engineering processes and earlier adoption of new technologies in automotive design and manufacturing.
The partnership specifically targets suppliers and start-ups in Lower Saxony's innovation ecosystem. By embedding industrial requirements into academic research, the initiative intends to speed up scaling of new technologies.
Why Volkswagen is investing
Hauke Stars, Volkswagen Group Board Member for IT, said the company uses AI to accelerate processes and bring products to market faster. "With the new professorship at TU Braunschweig, we are specifically strengthening research in Germany," he said. "The close transfer of knowledge between research and industry enables us and our partners in the supplier industry to secure crucial know-how at an early stage."
TU Braunschweig president Angela Ittel described software as increasingly central to vehicle development and production. "AI is the driving force for the next generation of mobility," she said. "Close collaboration between science and industry is essential."
Learn more about AI in product development
Product development professionals looking to build AI skills can explore AI for Product Development resources, or consider an AI Learning Path for Product Managers to understand how AI drives product strategy and innovation.
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