VW unveiled a fully autonomous EV concept that lets passengers sleep horizontally — take a look at its sharpest features
VW unveiled a fully autonomous concept EV designed to enable passengers to sleep horizontally.
The concept aims to test how Level 5 automation could change a passenger's travel experience.
Take a look at VW's fully autonomous Gen.Travel concept car.
Automakers are rushing to develop fully autonomous cars, yet Volkswagen Group is looking even further into the future with its latest concept car, the fully electric Gen.Travel.
The concept car doesn't simply test how Level 5 automation — where a car operates without human input — affects the way it drives. Gen.Travel is also designed to test what features could be available to passengers once the technology becomes more widely available.
Source: Volkswagen Group
Take a look inside the battery-powered Gen.Travel, which VW says will let passengers sleep horizontally and could pose an alternative to short-haul flights in the future.
The interior has no steering wheel or controls, which provides many possibilities for how the cabin could be laid out, Klaus Zyciora, the head of Volkswagen Group design, told Insider.
"It's not only the advantage of creating more room around you and offering the ability to sleep. It's also the idea of having the advantage of not having to take care of the car," Zyciora said. The car has been designed from the "inside out" based on what passengers could want, he added.
The minimalistic modular interior is fully adaptable, depending on the needs of the passengers traveling in the Gen.Travel.
If passengers are traveling overnight, a two-seat configuration folds down into two beds measuring 6.5 feet long. Seat belts and airbags are integrated into the duvet for safety purposes, VW said.
The company said that all HMI (human-machine interface) elements have been produced using sustainable materials, along with recycled or natural materials.
Those using the car for business have the choice of a four-seat "conference configuration" around a central desk. The vehicle can also be configured for families and fitted with augmented reality to entertain children.
Lighting can also be adjusted depending on the mood and reason for travel.
Despite the heavy focus on the experience inside the cabin, VW has also given much consideration to how the car's exterior could impact the experience within. The windows are designed to give passengers as much of a view as possible regardless of where they're sitting.
The window edges have been dipped to waist height to enable passengers who are lying down to be able to see out, according to Zyciora. "We even have a window in the ceiling so that if you go through cities you can you can look at the skyscrapers," he said.
The panoramic windshield is also a nod to history. It was inspired by the Rumpler drop car (named after its raindrop shape,) which was presented at the German Motor Show in Berlin in 1921.
Zyciora did not disclose many details about the car's range or speed but said that the final range would be dependent on the size of the battery. To travel long distances, any battery has to be above 100kw hours, Zyciora said.
As it's a concept car, the Gen.Travel is unlikely to hit the road with its current design, Zyciora said. It will, however, be used for studies and research that could influence future designs.
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