New cybersecurity rules force automakers to discontinue models
Several car models are disappearing from showrooms and dealerships in Europe thanks to new cybersecurity rules that are forcing automakers to discontinue models.
The EU will introduce new cybersecurity rules for cars on July 7, prompting several European carmakers to reduce their ranges in preparation.
The new rules were announced in 2022, but automakers had two years to prepare.
Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, has already said that the compact up! The hatchback has been discontinued, along with the T6.1 Transporter van. The up!, which is a popular model due to its low price, has not been manufactured since last year.
Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen’s chief executive of passenger cars, said the decision to discontinue the models was made because of the overwhelming cost of keeping them alive under the new standards.
“Otherwise, we would have to integrate a completely new electronic architecture,” he said.
“That would simply be too expensive.”
For Porsche, the Cayman, Boxter and Macan combustion engine models will no longer be manufactured in Europe and will only be manufactured for foreign markets.
According to Volkswagen, all models that will be manufactured before July 7 are already sold, which means that there is no longer the possibility of getting a new one in Europe.
“All the vehicles that can be manufactured at the end of June have already had a buyer for a long time,” says a company spokesperson.
“We are completely exhausted.”
Other companies such as Renault, Mercedes-Benz-owned Smart and Audi are also phasing out older models in preparation for July 7, with the latter no longer producing some of its high-performance models, such as the R8 supercar and the TT sports coupe.
Stefan Bratzel, representative of the Center of Automotive Management, states that the cost of preserving these cars would amount to several million euros per model.
After July 7, automakers will have to prove that they had a certified management system in place during the development of a model, which is very difficult to do with older cars that were developed before the announcement, especially since many of these cars need to be updated. and its useful life is shorter.
