Volkswagen is facing continued issues with its software, which is causing the automaker to delay multiple next-generation vehicle models, including the electric ID.4.
The next-gen Volkswagen ID.4 is being delayed due to issues with the company’s Scalable System Platform (SSP) software, according to a report from German outlet Handelsblatt earlier this month. Originally, the first SSP-based vehicles were expected to be debuted in 2028, though the ID.4 is now slated to launch in 2029 at the earliest, while the electric T-Sport has been pushed from 2028 to at least 2031.
Initially, the SSP was expected to launch on nearly all of Volkswagen’s 2025 and later models, though the automaker has faced regular issues with its software subsidiary Cariad for the past few years now.
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The SSP is expected to play a role in helping Volkswagen reach Level 4 autonomous driving, and the platform will eventually be used by the automaker’s other brands Audi and Porsche. The news of the delay puts the launch of the next-gen ID.4 about 15 months behind its initial schedule.
Volkswagen has had software issues with the ID.4 since its inception, and Cariad has faced substantial restructuring efforts over the past couple of years. In October, it was reported that Cariad would be cutting as many as 2,000 employees, after missing product launch deadlines and failing to stick within its budget in the years prior.
Last month, Volkswagen and Rivian announced a $5 billion investment into the EV maker, through which the two plan to build next-generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms that both companies will be able to use in their EVs. The two officially gained a green light in Germany to launch a joint venture to build EVs on Monday, and Volkswagen is beginning its investment with a $1 million bank note which will be converted into Rivian stock.
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