Former Apple Car Hire Johann Jungwirth Joins Volkswagen as Head of Digitalization Strategy

Tuesday November 10, 2015 5:24 am PST by Mitchel Broussard

Johann Jungwirth has been appointed as the head of Volkswagen's new Digitalization Strategy Department in the company's Germany-based headquarters. In the past, Jungwirth worked for Mercedez-Benz and Apple, where he led the Mac Systems Engineering team.

More specifically, Jungwirth supported Apple's Special Projects Group, a tie that has connected him in the past to Apple's long-rumored Apple Car project. Although the German native could have left Apple solely for a job that brought him closer to home, it's still unclear exactly why he decided to leave the Cupertino-based company -- where he was allegedly working alongside the Apple Car team -- for Volkswagen.

Jungwirth was named Director, Mac Systems Engineering at Apple in Cupertino, CA (USA), in 2014. He was responsible for innovation in design and engineering in product development as well as hiring, growing and leading a multicultural research & development team and supporting the Special Projects Group.

According to Volkswagen's press release, Jungwirth will help the car manufacturer look towards the future with a focus on digitilization in the automotive industry. The hire comes on the heels of Volkswagen's big diesel scandal that's plagued the company for the past few weeks, in which it was discovered that it cheated on emissions tests in a number of its diesel cars.

Tag: Volkswagen

Top Rated Comments

Junipr

103 months ago

"You see, we wanted our emissions to appear thinner than ever, so we hired someone from Apple" -VW

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Kajje

He particularly will be responsible for the firmware team. Rumors are there are a couple VWs that needs an update.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

keysofanxiety

I'm not surprised.

I've always seen Volkswagen as the Apple of cars.

You mean their engines won't go beyond 5400RPM? :p

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

WWPD

I love how VW cheats on diesel emission tests and it's a huge scandal costing billions in fines, GM knowingly sells faulty ignition switches that KILL people and they get a slap on the wrist. I guess that's a perk of being an American company (Government Motors).

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

deconstruct60

...Apple, where he led the Mac Systems Engineering team.

More specifically, Jungwirth supported Apple's Special Projects Group, a tie that has connected ('https://www.macrumors.com/2015/02/13/apple-automotive-research-lab/') him in the past to Apple's long-rumored Apple Car project. ....

Maybe Apple can hire someone for the Apple car work so that the Mac System person could work on Macs full time. And some other folks to work on Macs full time.

Mac mini .... goes comatose for 2 years 12-14.
iMac (non retina ) .... pragmatically comatose for 2 years ( kneecapping the iMac by slapping a MBA processor in it is a chuckle engineering project. )
Mac Pro ..... comatose for 2 years

Sure there was a MacBook of late but seems like Apple can't walk and chew gum at the same time. One Mac system has to be hobbled so they can move another forward. There should be someone inside of Apple saying that is "BS".

Ditto on software half. Lots of GUI changes in OS X but "where is the beef" ?

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)