Privacy Policy

We are pleased to welcome you to a website maintained by Volkswagen AG, Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg, Germany Kundenbetreuung@volkswagen.de, listed in the register of companies of the District Court of Braunschweig under HRB 100484 (“Volkswagen AG”). We provide information below relating to the processing of your personal data, which is collected when you visit this website, by Volkswagen AG.

a. Processing of log files

When you visit our website, we process the following log files relating to you; these files contain no personally identifiable information and hence cannot be traced back to you:

• An anonymous cookie ID, which does not allow your IP address to be identified
• The operating system and web browser you are using, and your selected screen resolution
• The date and time of your visit
• The pages you visit on our website
• The website from which you came to us
• The IP address of the device with which you are accessing the website.

This data is processed in accordance with Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. It is necessary in order to display the website to you properly. The data will be deleted after 30 days.

For the hosting of this website, we use the processor Amazon Web Services (Amazon Web Services, Inc.) and the Google Cloud Platform (Google Ireland Ltd.). In addition, Adobe (Adobe Systems Software Ireland Ltd.) and Lighthouse (LIGHTHOUSE SARL) as providers for Content Delivery Networks (CDN), a network of connected servers for the delivery of media content, act as data processors.

The data processing that takes place in some cases involves the transfer of data to third countries (i.e. countries that are neither members of the European Union nor the European Economic Area). Please note that not all third countries have a level of data protection deemed adequate by the European Commission. Where access to the data from a so-called insecure third country cannot be ruled out, so-called EU standard contractual clauses have been concluded to protect your personal data as an appropriate guarantee for data processing. You can access the EU standard contractual clauses provided by the EU Commission here.

Accenture Song Build Germany GmbH and Lufthansa Industry Solutions AS GmbH support us as processors in the development of this website. In the course of their development activities, it cannot be ruled out that they may come into contact with personal data, for example when reviewing log files.

We also use two processors to display vehicles, ZeroLight Limited and Audi AG.

In addition, we process your IP address together with the characteristics of the device you use to access the Volkswagen website in order to recognise malicious access to our website. We do this in order to collect anonymous statistics on page views, which help us to ensure the secure, cost-efficient and high-performance operation of the website and to protect you from the negative consequences of such access. The IP address is anonymised immediately after geo-lookup. This data is processed in accordance with our legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for the purposes described above. We use SmartDigital GmbH and Volkswagen Software Management GmbH with the subcontractor Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited (‘Adobe’) as processors for this procedure.

Access to the information by subcontractors of Adobe based in the USA cannot be ruled out, so that corresponding EU standard data protection clauses have been concluded as appropriate guarantees for data processing in non-European countries. You can access the EU standard contractual clauses used here.

You have the opportunity to find out about the Volkswagen Driving Experience offers on our website. In this context, Volkswagen AG does not process any personal data. If you use the channels shown in this section (e.g. contact request by e-mail, appointment request), D&T DRIVE & TRAINING AG is responsible for the associated data processing.

a. General information

The Volkswagen AG uses various cookies on its websites. Cookies are small files with configuration information that are stored on your end device. Cookies can basically be divided into three categories. There are cookies which are indispensable for the functionality of the website (so-called function cookies), cookies which increase the comfort of a website visit and, for example, save your language settings (so-called comfort cookies) and cookies on the basis of which a pseudonymised usage profile is created (so-called tracking cookies).

The processing of the comfort cookies is necessary to enable you to visit the website (cf. Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO). The legal basis for the convenience cookies is a legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO). The legitimate interest lies in the provision of convenience when visiting the website.

Tracking cookies are only set if the website visitor has consented to this (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). Consent is given via the so-called cookie banner, which must be actively clicked on.

To manage your cookie preferences, we process your IP address and use Ensighten Privacy, a product provided by our data processor CHEQ Technologies (UK) LTD, C/O Summate Limited, TN6 2QX Crowborough, United Kingdom (hereinafter referred to as “CHEQ”). The processing of your personal data always takes place in the region from which you access our website. For support purposes, access from the United Kingdom (UK) cannot be ruled out. In accordance with Art. 45(1) GDPR, the European Commission has issued an adequacy decision confirming that the UK has an adequate level of data protection. Therefore, the transfer of personal data to our service provider in the UK is lawful and does not require any additional specific safeguards.

If you have not consented to the use of tracking cookies, the processing of this data is based on our legitimate interest under Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR to maintain a record of your decision. Your IP address will be anonymised within 90 days.

If you have given your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), we use so-called marketing technologies (described in the following sections). The embedding of these technologies may occur through two different technological approaches, which result in different data retention periods:

Variant a) Marketing technologies may be embedded directly into the website. In this case, your IP address is stored to provide proof of your consent. This data is anonymised within 90 days.

Variant b) In addition, we use what is known as "server-side tagging", meaning that marketing technologies are no longer embedded directly in the website, but are instead embedded within a virtual browser environment on a CHEQ server. This approach improves the loading speed of our website, as fewer data need to be transferred to your device, and offers increased control over your data, as we can manage precisely what information is shared with marketing providers.
To be able to offer the setting of cookie preferences in variant b without technical errors, we may carry out technical analyses that may include your IP address and unique identification number. This is done on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) in being able to offer the proper technical functionality of this website. We store your personal data for a period of three years to ensure correct operation and to document your consent to server-side tagging.

You can object to data processing at any time with effect for the future by preventing the storage of cookies through the setting in your browser or by clicking on the following link and changing your currently set preferences in our Cookie Consent Manager:
Manage My Cookie Preferences

b. Adobe Analytics

If you have given your consent to the processing of cookies for the purpose of analytics and personalisation, cookies will be stored on your end device for evaluation purposes and information will be collected about this. For this purpose, we use the web analysis service Adobe Analytics to analyse user access to this website.

The information stored on the Adobe servers cannot be directly linked to a person, as Adobe Analytics is used with the “Obfuscate IP-Address” setting activated. These settings ensure that your IP address is completely anonymised after the so-called geolocalisation.

The data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO).

We use Volkswagen Software Management GmbH with the subcontractor Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited (“Adobe”) as order processors. Access to the information by subcontractors of Adobe based in the USA cannot be ruled out, so that corresponding EU standard data protection clauses have been concluded as appropriate guarantees for data processing in non-European countries. You can access the EU standard contractual clauses used here.

You can revoke your consent to the described data processing at any time with effect for the future by clicking on this link https://www.volkswagen.de/de/mehr/rechtliches/datenschutz.html?open=true.

In order to optimise common content and functions, Volkswagen AG passes on anonymous analysis results of user behaviour to selected group companies such as the Volkswagen Financial Services AG.

c. Adform

This website uses the web tracking tool Adform. Adform is a demand side platform and is used as a tool for programmatic buying of digital advertising space. Adform uses cookies to serve ads that are relevant to users, to improve campaign performance reports, or to prevent a user from seeing the same ads more than once. Adform uses a cookie ID to record which ads are shown in which browser and can thus prevent them from being shown more than once. Adform also uses this cookie to understand the content you have interacted with on our websites so that we can later send you targeted advertising. In addition, Adform can use cookie IDs to record so-called conversions that are related to ad requests. This is the case, for example, when a user sees an Adform ad and later visits the advertiser's website with the same browser and makes a purchase there. The data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by clicking on the following link and changing your currently set preferences in our Cookie Consent Manager: https://www.volkswagen.de/de/mehr/rechtliches/datenschutz.html?open=true

The basis of data processing is user data. The IP address, website URL, URL of a previously visited page, marketer domain, Adform cookie ID, user agent, timestamp and referrer are processed. Access to collected data is restricted to Volkswagen AG, Adform A/S and phd Germany GmbH. The duration of data storage is 13 months.

Further information on Adform can be found at https://site.adform.com
and on data protection at Adform A/S Denmark in general: https://site.adform.com/privacy-center/overview.

d. The Trade Desk

This website uses The Trade Desk ("TTD" for short), a so-called targeted advertising service. The company provides a technology that helps advertisers manage digital advertising campaigns across many channels such as websites, or apps. The advertising campaigns run by Volkswagen AG help to pay for the content you like. TTD collects and uses data as a processor to ensure that the ads you see on the internet are relevant and to measure and evaluate their effectiveness.

The platform collects and processes pseudonymised - i.e. not directly identifying - data about users, devices and ads, and where they are shown. TTD acts as a sub-processor for the company PHD Germany GmbH. PHD Germany GmbH is an order processor of Volkswagen AG. Corresponding contracts for order processing have been concluded.

The processed data include: Cookie ID, mobile device ID, IP address, interest information, web browser and device information, information about which advertisements have already been displayed to you, timestamp and website URLs.

In doing so, the cookie data used helps to distinguish and recognise web browsers and devices in order to better target our advertising to you and your interests. The TDID (the cookie set by TTD) has a lifetime of 1 year from the last time you received an ad from the platform (TTD). This lifetime can be updated every time you interact with the platform. This will cause the year to start again. The cookie collects technical web browser profile data and the user's browsing behaviour (e.g. data about users, devices and ads, as well as their placement) (see above). All data is stored exclusively in pseudonymised form. In order to be able to transfer requests for ads and other data about users or devices between sellers and buyers and to be able to show you ads that correspond to your probable interests, TTD carries out cookie synchronisation, i.e. the TTD cookie IDs are matched with the cookie IDs of TTD's customers and partners. TTD uses further sub-processors, if necessary and on a case-by-case basis, and makes your data available to third parties for the fulfilment of the order. The standard contractual clauses for the transfer of personal data to processors in third countries apply to the transfer of personal data to recipients who receive the data for the purpose of commissioned data processing. These have been agreed with the sub-processors.

These standard contractual clauses will remain in force until the European Commission decides otherwise, even after the entry into force of the GDPR on 25.05.2018.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/de/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021D0914

The data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). You can revoke your consent at any time with future effect by clicking on the following link and changing your currently set preferences in our Cookie Consent Manager: Adjust preferences

In addition, you have the option of directly removing the data already stored in the cookie via the cookie page adsrvr.org of TTD and thus no longer receive personalised advertising via the platform. In this case, the so-called opt-out setting means that you will no longer be shown targeted advertising across TTD customers / partners. Further information on The Trade Desk can be found here: https://www.thetradedesk.com/, as well as on data protection at The Trade Desk, https://www.thetradedesk.com/general/privacy.

e. Google Marketing Platform

On the basis of your consent (Art. 6(1) Sentence 1(a) GDPR), our website utilises various analysis, marketing and remarketing services provided by Google Ireland Ltd., Google Building Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (hereinafter: Google Ireland), a subsidiary of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (hereinafter: Google USA).

We use these services to display relevant advertising on digital advertising spaces to you and to measure and control the success of these ads and advertising campaigns, as well as to limit the frequency with which an ad appears.

In relation to these services, so-called Floodlight tags and cookies are used on the website to collect and process website activities of users (“conversions”) and associated online identifiers (e.g. cookie IDs). The processing is carried out on a pseudonymous basis, so that we cannot identify which user has carried out which interactions or which advertising has been displayed. With the pseudonymous information obtained, we create specific target groups in order to be able to display relevant advertising to them. These target groups are created on an aggregated basis, so that individual users cannot be identified here either.

We transfer the personal data to Google Ireland, where it is stored for nine months (IP address) or 18 months (browser and cookie data).

Google Ireland acts as a sub-processor for PHD Germany GmbH, which is based in Germany. PHD Germany GmbH is a processor for Volkswagen AG. The corresponding data processing agreements have been concluded.

Please note that the data may be transferred by processors to third countries that do not currently offer an adequate level of data protection, and in this respect, there is a particular risk that the data may be processed by authorities for control and monitoring purposes without you possibly having any legal recourse. We have contractually agreed through our order processing agreements that, in the event of transfer to a third country without an adequate level of data protection, our processors must also provide suitable guarantees within the meaning of the GDPR.

Both the setting of cookies, where relevant, and data processing are based on your given consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by clicking on the following link and changing your current preferences in our Cookie Consent Manager: Customise preferences.

In addition to withdrawing your consent in the cookie settings, you can prevent the transmission of your data collected on this website to Google Ireland by following the instructions available via the following link, which explain how you can disable the collection of data by Google on your computer or mobile device: https://support.google.com/ads/answer/7395996

General information on data processing by Google can be found here:
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de and https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9028179

Additional descriptions of the services listed can be found here: https://support.google.com/displayvideo/answer/9015629

i. Campaign Manager 360

On our website, we use the “Campaign Manager 360” service, a web-based ad management system from Google Ireland for the centralised creation, management and optimisation of digital advertising campaigns from the Volkswagen AG across various media channels. With the help of cookies placed in the browser, the service collects the following personal data (in pseudonymised form) for the aforementioned purposes: online identifiers (including cookie IDs, IP addresses and device IDs), geographical location data and browser identifiers.

ii. Search Ads 360

On the website, we use the “Search Ads 360” service from Google Ireland, a web-based ad management system from Google Ireland for the centralised creation, management and optimisation of advertising campaigns from the Volkswagen AG for search engine marketing across various search engines. With the help of cookies placed in the browser, the service collects the following personal data (in pseudonymised form) for the aforementioned purposes: online identifiers (including cookie IDs, IP addresses and device IDs) and browser identifiers.

f. Sophus3

This website uses the web analysis service Sophus3 to evaluate user access to this website. The data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO).

For the evaluation, cookies are stored on your terminal device and information is collected via this, which is also stored on servers of our order processor Sophus3 Limited Cyprus ("Sophus3"). The cookies contain session IDs and visitor IDs.

In web analytics, page views and actions (e.g. clicks) on the website are recorded sequentially, i.e. one after the other. The resulting data sets are isolated. A unique session ID, which is stored together with the page views and actions, makes it possible to subsequently assign page views and actions to the common session. A unique user ID allows this to be done across different website visits. The data is used to analyse user behaviour on the website.

A direct personal reference of the information stored on the Sophus3 servers is excluded. A random number is assigned as the visitor ID. The IP address is made unrecognisable (hashed) and shortened (the last two octets are removed). A digital fingerprint (DF) is created. However, it uses the shortened IP address. The DF is itself a hash value and thus a reference back is excluded.

Geolocation does not take place. No geodata is collected.

The data will be deleted after 12 months.

You can revoke your consent at any time with future effect by clicking on the following link and changing your currently set preferences in our Cookie Consent Manager: https://www.volkswagen.de/de/mehr/rechtliches/datenschutz.html?open=true.

If you have not consented to the use of tracking mechanisms for the purpose of "Analytics & Personalisation" via our Cookies Banner or Cookie Consent Manager, the analysis service will not be activated. In this case, no data collection will take place.

g. Traci-Script

The Traci-Webscript, is a small program developed by Volkswagen, which has no direct interfaces to third parties. It is used to add or continue dynamic parameters on the Volkswagen.de website (https://www.volkswagen.de/de.html).

The Traci-Web Script can add information to a defined Uniform Resource Locators (URL) as a user moves around the website.

This is a simple text enhancement function. The function takes URL information without personal data, strings them together based on the click path and passes on this URL supplemented by the text.

When the user leaves the Volkswagen website and goes to the Volkswagen Financial Services website (https://www.vwfs.de/), the dynamically added URL parameters are transferred to the Volkswagen Financial Services website, provided the user accepts the cookie policy / data protection declaration when calling up the Volkswagen Financial Services website. No data is processed.

You can assert your following rights at any time and free of charge towards the Volkswagen AG. Further information on exercising your rights can be found in section F.

Right to information

You have the right to obtain information from us (Art. 15 DSGVO) about the processing of your personal data.

Right of rectification

You have the right to request the correction (Art. 16 DSGVO) of inaccurate or incomplete personal data that concerns you.

Right of deletion

You have the right to demand the deletion of your data if the conditions set out in Art. 17 DSGVO are fulfilled. According to this, you can, for example, demand the deletion of your data if it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. You can also demand deletion if we process your data on the basis of your consent and you revoke this consent.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your data if the conditions of Art. 18 DSGVO apply. This is for example the case if you dispute the accuracy of your data. You can then request the restriction of processing for the duration of the verification of the accuracy of the data.

Right to data portability

If the data processing is based on consent or the performance of a contract and is also carried out using automated processing, you have the right to receive your data in a structured, common and machine-readable format and to transfer it to another data processor.

Right of objection

If the processing is based on an overriding legitimate interest, you have the right to object to the processing of your data. An objection is permissible if the processing is either in the public interest or based on a legitimate interest of Volkswagen AG or a third party. In the event of an objection, we ask you to inform us of your reasons for objecting to the data processing.
You also have the right to object to data processing for direct marketing purposes. This also applies to Profiling, insofar as it is related to direct advertising.

Right of revocation

If data processing is based on consent, you have the right to revoke your consent at any time free of charge with effect for the future.

Right of complaint

You also have the right to complain about our processing of your data to a supervisory authority (e.g. the State Commissioner for Data Protection of Lower Saxony).

The contact details for exercising your rights, along with further information, can be found on the following website: https://datenschutz.volkswagen.de.

Data protection officer
If you have any data protection concerns, contact our data protection officer:

Data Protection Officer, Volkswagen AG
Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg, Germany
datenschutz@volkswagen.de

Version: March 2025