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Volkswagen bringing driver assistance systems to its 2016 lineup

Chevrolet isn't the only manufacturer rolling out luxury safety technologies on a 2016 mass-market lineup. Volkswagen has just announced that next year it will begin adding driver assistance systems to its lineup here in the States – stuff that was previously only available on Audi and Porsche models here, or Volkswagens in Europe. Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and autonomous braking will be standard on the CC V6 4Motion, optional on certain trims of the Golf and Jetta. Blind spot monitoring will be standard on the Beetle, and top CC and Jetta trims, but optional on the Golf and lower Jetta variants. Automated parking will be available on Golf models, including the e-Golf. Blind spot assistance with rear traffic alert, lane departure warning, park distance control, and an automatic post-collision braking system also come in the technology kitty, all of which will be packaged at prices between $695 and $1,495. Infotainment options take a bit step up, too, with every VW model but the Touareg being fitted with touchscreens. The new MIB II head unit comes in four sizes, the Beetle, Jetta, and Tiguan getting the smallest, five-inch screen as standard but upgradeable to a 6.5-inch screen. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink are integrated into that larger screen. The interface is improved by a faster processor, higher resolution, and better graphics, and some will come with swiping and pinch-to-zoom functionality. The two press releases below lay it all out in detail. VOLKSWAGEN DEMOCRATIZES HIGH-END DRIVER ASSISTANCE FEATURES FOR THE 2016 MODEL YEAR Many models in the 2016 Volkswagen lineup offer new driver assistance systems that used to be the sole preserve of premium and luxury vehicles Herndon, VA Jul 29, 2015 — For the 2016 model year, Volkswagen is offering a host of driver assistance features that were only previously available on the premium Touareg SUV—and adding some new ones that truly democratize driver assistance for the compact sedan and compact hatchback classes. These available features include: Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist); Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); the Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist); and an active Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist) system. The Beetle, CC, e-Golf, Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, and Jetta offer these available features, depending on model and trim line.

Volkswagen Group looks to add ridesharing brand to portfolio

Volkswagen is rapidly trying to put the ongoing diesel scandal behind it at the Paris Motor Show with the unveiling of the automaker's electric I.D. Concept. In addition to unveiling the EV, the automaker also announced that it established a yet-to-be-named subsidiary for ridesharing purposes. The new brand will be VW Group's 13th, and will add mobility services to in the form of a carpooling service, similar to that of Uber and Lyft. This will include teaming up with Gett – a cab-hailing startup that operates in roughly 70 cities worldwide, which includes New York City, that was previously known as GetTaxi. Earlier this year, VW invested $300 million in the company. In addition to ridesharing, VW Group claims it is also hard at work on its own shuttle service as the brand aims to become a leader in urban mobility services by 2025. The name of the 13th brand and more information on the subsidiary will be released in November. VW Group also announced plans to give Gett drivers in Moscow, Russia "preferential terms" on a Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Jetta, Skoda Octavia, or Skoda Rapid. VW Group's 13th brand sounds similar to Mercedes-Benz's Vision Van Concept, which the automaker would allow consumers to lease and purchase the vehicle, as well as rent its services on a short-term basis. While the Vision Van Concept is a commercial vehicle that has delivery drones on the roof to aid deliveries, VW Group's shuttle service sounds more like autonomous buses to ferry people around. Now that diesels are dead, Volkswagen has quickly embraced the future, where autonomous and electric vehicles coexist. Related Video: Related Gallery Volkswagen I.D. Concept: Paris 2016 View 16 Photos News Source: Volkswagen Green Paris Motor Show Volkswagen Skoda Autonomous Vehicles Electric vw diesel scandal ridesharing 2016 paris motor show gett

Car Club USA: Waterfest

Car Club USA travels back to Englishtown Raceway Park for Waterfest, a celebration of water-cooled Audi and Volkswagen cars. We catch up with a pair of VW autocross contestants racing for top prize, and a young Audi owner hoping to win best in show for the Garden State Euros car club. "It's massive," explained Garden State Euro's Ryan Topken. "You have tons of vendors, tons of events going on. There's the show. There's the drag strip. There's autocross." "It's pretty much like a frat party for Volkswagens," added fellow club member Carlin Belkowski. Will the guys from Garden State Euros head home with any hardware? Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog.