Volkswagen has announced that it has handed its Car.Software organization over to Audi CEO Markus Duesmann. Duesmann will take charge of Volkswagen’s software in the VW Board of Management, a company press release stated.
One of the main focuses of Volkswagen’s plan to begin the production of a fleet of electric vehicles was software. However, the German automaker has encountered several problems that have delayed the production of its ID.3, which is the first vehicle in VW’s all-electric ID family of cars.
Duesmann will be responsible for the research and development of Volkswagen’s software and will attempt to salvage the company’s operating system before the ID.3 and subsequent electric models from the German automaker roll off of production lines and into owner’s garages.
However, Duesmann’s stance on electric vehicles is not exactly favorable. The Audi frontman commented last week that his company would continue to favor the production of gas and diesel-powered combustion engines. “The combustion engine is far from dead,” Duesmann said.
Although Duesmann does believe that Audi can begin creating more sustainable cars that use gas and diesel for fuel, the overall stance on the issue seems to indicate that the CEO is not necessarily interested in obtaining an electric fleet that is Earth-friendly. Duesmann is an automotive vet, but his goals do not necessarily line up with Volkswagen’s, and the combination of the two entities working together to solve software issues is questionable.
“We are now starting the biggest revolution in the automotive industry. In a few years, a car’s operating system and its connectivity with a highly secure data cloud will make all the difference,” Duesmann said. “The close cooperation with all brands and teams will be decisive for the success of the Car.Software organization. With my team at Audi, we are assuming a special responsibility as a premium brand.”
Duesmann announced that the new CEO of the Car.Software Organization would be former Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering at BMW, Dirk Hilgenberg.
“With the upcoming handover to Dirk Hilgenberg, we will gain a CEO for the Car.Software organization who has extensive international experience in the integration of software products and technologies. In close cooperation with him, I will push this topic forward vigorously and at high speed,” Duesmann added.
The plan to solve Volkswagen’s extensive list of software issues begins with a rapid personnel expansion. The company plans to hire around 5,000 specialists by the end of 2020, who will all work together to integrate the Software system into Volkswagen’s electrified fleet.
Volkswagen has also spent the last few months expanding several of its German plants to prepare for an expansive push of electric vehicles in the coming years. The company also gave 150 random employees an ID.3 car to test in real-world settings.
Fixing the software issues that Volkswagen has accrued throughout the production of the ID.3 has worried the company’s executives. However, the new operating infrastructure is sure to bring bumps along the way, and Volkswagen’s rich tradition of automotive manufacturing should prove to be able to solve the issues. However, Duesmann’s appointment to the head of the team is unusual considering the stance the Audi CEO holds on electric vehicles.
Volkswagen’s full press release is available here.
Elon Musk
SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report
The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history.
As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.
Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.
One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.
Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.
Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.
If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices.
Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.
Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.
According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.
Elon Musk
The Boring Company’s Prufrock-2 emerges after completing new Vegas Loop tunnel
The new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.
The Boring Company announced that its Prufrock-2 tunnel boring machine (TBM) has completed another Vegas Loop tunnel in Las Vegas. The company shared the update in a post on social media platform X.
According to The Boring Company’s post, the new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.
The new tunnel marks the fourth tunnel constructed near Westgate Las Vegas as the Vegas Loop network continues expanding across the city.
The Boring Company also noted that the new tunnel surpassed its previous internal record of 2.26 miles for a single Vegas Loop segment.
Construction of the tunnel involved moving roughly 68,000 cubic yards of dirt. The excavation process also used about 4.8 miles of continuous conveyor belt, powered by six motors totaling 825 horsepower.
The Boring Company’s Prufrock-series all-electric tunnel boring machines are designed to support the rapid expansion of company’s underground transportation projects, including the growing Vegas Loop network. Prufrock machines are designed for reusability, thanks in no small part to their capability to be deployed and retrieved easily through their “porposing” feature.
The Vegas Loop, specifically the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop segment, has already been used during major events. Most recently, the LVCC Loop supported the 2026 CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show, which was held from March 3-7, 2026.
As per The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop transported roughly 82,000 passengers across the convention center campus during the event’s duration.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America, drawing more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries this year.
The LVCC Loop forms the initial segment of the broader Vegas Loop network, which remains under active development as The Boring Company continues building new tunnels throughout the city.
News
Tesla gathers Cybercab fleet in Gigafactory Texas
Images and video of the Cybercab fleet were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.
Tesla appears to be assembling a growing number of Cybercabs at Gigafactory Texas as preparations continue for the vehicle’s mass production. Recent footage shared online has shown over 30 Cybercabs being transported by trucks or staged near testing areas at the facility.
The images and video were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.
Interestingly enough, Tegtmeyer noted that many of the Cybercabs being loaded onto transport trucks were still equipped with steering wheels. This suggests that the vehicles are likely testing units rather than the final driverless configuration expected for the company’s Robotaxi service.
The vehicles could potentially be headed to testing sites across the United States as Tesla prepares to expand its Robotaxi fleet.
Additional footage captured at Gigafactory Texas also showed the Cybercab’s side and rear camera washer system operating as vehicles were being loaded onto transport trucks.
The growing number of Cybercabs at Giga Texas comes amidst the company’s announcement that the first production Cybercab has been produced at the facility. Full Cybercab production is expected to begin in April.
The vehicle is expected to play a central role in Tesla’s Robotaxi ambitions as the company looks to expand autonomous ride-hailing operations beyond its early deployments using Model Y vehicles.
Tesla has also linked Cybercab production to its proposed Unboxed manufacturing process, which assembles large vehicle modules separately before integrating them. The approach is intended to reduce production costs and accelerate output.
Musk has also noted that the Cybercab’s ramp will likely begin slowly due to the number of new components and manufacturing steps involved. However, he stated that once the process matures, Cybercab production could scale quickly.