Google pairs with Volkswagen

Google and Volkswagen have come together to investigate ways of using the surge in processing speed from quantum computers to help with traffic flows and autonomous driving.

While quantum computing is still in its infancy, it employs some of the less intuitive processes of quantum physics to accelerate computer calculations to speeds far faster than conventional technology, which is approaching the limits of Moore’s Law.

Volkswagen’s IT department wants to use the extra processing speed to develop new structures for high-performance battery materials, artificial intelligence and machine learning and traffic flows for self-driving cars.

“Quantum computing technology opens up new dimensions and represents the fast-track for future-oriented topics,” the Volkswagen Group’s Chief Information Officer, Martin Hofmann, said.

“We want to be among the first to use quantum computing for corporate processes as soon as this technology is commercially available. Thanks to our cooperation with Google, we have taken a major step towards this goal."

The two companies are already working on quantum computing simulations and algorithms, Volkswagen said.

"Volkswagen has enormous expertise in solving important, real-world engineering problems, and it is an honour for us to collaborate on how quantum computing may be able to make a difference in the automotive industry," the Director of Google’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Hartmut Neven, said.

It will focus the efforts of IT specialists from Volkswagen’s existing laboratories in San Francisco and Munich and Google’s own experts, using Google’s universal quantum computers.