Car Brain Challenge
“Re-inCARnate Herbie”

The future of vehicle intelligence begins now. Now we are launching the Car Brain Challenge “Re-inCARnate Herbie”: a unique international competition that invites the most talented minds at universities worldwide to shape the next generation of vehicle intelligence. Inspired by Herbie, the legendary Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own, students, PhDs and postdocs are developing AI systems that are not only autonomous but also equipped with personality, adaptability, and the ability to act.
Together, we are turning the car into an intelligent companion for the 21st century.

The starting signal was given at the IAA 2025

The official announcement of our “Re-inCARnate Herbie” Tech Challenge took place at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich. These impressions show why this challenge is not just a competition, but a milestone on the road to the AI-defined vehicle.

Who is Herbie – and why are we following in his footsteps?

Herbie is a fictional character from Disney’s classic film series, first appearing in The Love Bug (1968). Portrayed as a sentient Volkswagen Beetle with emotions, personality and a mind of its own, Herbie became a symbol of charm, intelligence and human-machine connection.

Now we are bringing Herbie into the 21st century. So let’s create the Herbie of tomorrow: a vehicle that not only drives, but understands, learns and adapts. A truly intelligent companion for the mobility of the future.

Timeline of the challenge

The Challenge, running from 2^nd March 2026 to 2^nd April 2027, is structured as a multi-phase innovation journey guiding teams from concept to vehicle demonstration. It is divided into three main phases: Concept, Implementation, Prototyping, each with clear objectives, timelines, and deliverables.

Phase 1: Concept – Define the vision

Creative brainstorming and concept development. The teams create a vision for future in- & around-the-car experiences.

Phase 2: Prototyping – Build the intelligence

Technical implementation of the concepts from phase 1. A selection of teams are developing their functional use case in a cloud-based development environment.

Phase 3: Implementation – Bring to life

Integration of the solution into a real vehicle. The finalists are working on the implementation of their AI systems in modified research vehicles. The focus is on hardware integration, sensor technology and validation under real conditions.

Prices and added value for universities

The winners can expect:

First place: 50,000€, a vehicle and a cooperation contract
Second place: 30,000€
Third place: 10,000€

Added value for all participating universities:

Access to cutting-edge automotive AI technologies
Practical experience with AI-defined vehicles
Development of market-relevant AI solutions
Opportunity to present at international automotive trade fairs

Frequently asked questions

You have questions regarding participation, registration and organisation? Everything about the Car Brain Challenge “Re-inCARnate Herbie” can be found summarized in the FAQs.

To FAQ

Innovation

Digital representation of an autonomous vehicle on a multi-lane road with a futuristic city environment.”

The automotive industry is developing at a rapid pace. Innovative technologies are defining vehicle functions and the driving experience. The Volkswagen Group sees this transformation as an opportunity to shape the mobility of tomorrow as a global automotive technology driver – climate-neutral, digital and connected. Our pioneering solutions along the entire automotive value chain combine experience and efficiency, safety and sustainability. This enables us to inspire customers time and time again. All over the world.

To innovation

The specified fuel consumption and emission data does not refer to a single vehicle and is not part of the offer but is only intended for comparison between different types of vehicles. Additional equipment and accessories (additional components, tyre formats, etc.) can alter relevant vehicle parameters such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, affecting the vehicle's fuel consumption, power consumption, CO₂ emissions and driving performance values in addition to weather and traffic conditions and individual driving behavior. Further information on official fuel consumption data and official specific CO₂ emissions for new passenger cars can be found in the "Guide to fuel economy, CO₂ emissions and power consumption for new passenger car models", which is available free of charge from all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at www.dat.de/co2.