Photo credit: Koenigsegg
Over the past several days, we’ve been publishing excerpts from our extended conversation with Christian von Koenigsegg, founder of the Swedish carmaker that bears his name. We discussed a whole variety of topics, including why Koenigsegg has never gone racing, and likely won’t; how the company built the quickest-revving engine ever installed in a road-going car; and how the company is simultaneously pushing the envelope in EV technology while still getting everything it can out of internal combustion engines.
For our final installment, we look to the future. And of course, that means asking Christian von Koenigsegg about self-driving technology. He’s very familiar with the current state of the art—von Koenigsegg’s daily driver is a Tesla Model S Ludicrous Plus, he has a Model 3 Performance, and he’s got an order in for a Model S Plaid.
“It’s interesting to see where the self-driving scene is headed,” von Koenigsegg said. “How Tesla is actually able to set the benchmark there, and can hopefully get to make it better and better. They still seem pretty far away, but I do think that the technology is inevitable, and that it will completely change the normal car scene.”
Note the word “normal” in that response. As expected from the maker of cars like the 1700-hp Gemera—which utilizes a 2.0-liter twin-turbo three-cylinder making 600 hp as part of a hybrid drivetrain—von Koenigsegg has a slightly different attitude toward self-driving when it comes to his own creations. “It doesn’t affect the types of cars we at Koenigsegg are making, because these, you really want to drive,” he said.
Self-driving tech is just one part of a bigger shift in the auto industry. Von Koenigsegg is curious about the future, even beyond the realm in which his own company operates. “Right now, you see traditional carmakers troubled by Tesla, Rivian, and the Chinese brands,” he said. “I think there will be another shock when that format of vehicle will be challenged by something completely different. After being static for a hundred years with some gradual change, now, it’s just one big shift after the other. It’s healthy and good,” he said. “I think [the auto industry] remained too stale, and it’s fun to be a little bit a part of the change, but also just to watch it.”
Keyword: Why You Won't See a Self-Driving Koenigsegg