Ahead of the future.
The ID. Vizzion. (Concept Car)
Imagine your car could understand your language and recognise your gestures. That it was completely natural and intuitive to operate. Imagine that this car could actually even drive for you. On all-electric power. You’d have more time for the things you love. With the ID. family, this vision will soon become reality. The ID. concept car Vizzion is leading the charge for this new generation of electric vehicles.
Volkswagen began developing its modular electric drive matrix (MEB) in 2015, creating a platform on which all electric cars would be built going forward. At the world premiere of the ID. Vizzion at the Geneva International Motor Show, this future was already looking bright: “From the very first glance, the ID. Vizzion clearly shows how the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) gives us a completely new level of freedom in terms of interior and exterior design", says Dr Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Volkswagen Board of Management.
See. And be seen.
See. And be seen.
The ID. Vizzion is all about design. And giving its passengers an unrestricted field of view. To do this, the designers have chosen to remove the B-pillars and add larger windows, as well as a panoramic sunroof. The characteristic design DNA of the ID. models also highlights the saloon’s elegant silhouette. This is further emphasised by the LED light strips that run from the radiator grille, across the sides and door handles and down to the rear bumper. To add to the effect, these lights begin to pulse when the car recognises familiar passengers nearby. The ID. Vizzion has a facial recognition system that enables it to react when it “sees” you coming toward it down the street. Another new feature – the lounge-like interior. The designers’ vision has always been to create a car built around freedom. So comfortable that the vehicle becomes an experience. And so generous that the sense of space goes well beyond the normal limits of luxury class vehicles of this size. Open the door and you’ll find a wall-to-wall dash panel but no steering wheel or instruments. Instead of pushing a button, you interact with the car completely intuitively. With a hand gesture, for example. Easy really. And pretty futuristic. As are the virtual operational elements and screens that are projected into the interior using augmented reality. These are operated with familiar gestures. And seen through mixed reality glasses (HoloLens*).
Drive. And be driven.
In 2022, the ID. Vizzion will go into mass production with a conventional control system. But the latest concept car shows what Volkswagen believes could be possible by 2030. Things like fully-automated driving. Which is why the ID. Vizzion is the first Volkswagen vehicle to have no steering wheel or pedals. Instead, it has a “digital chauffeur” that can navigate and take over steering for you. And recognise you and your preferences. This practical feature enables the car to adjust the lighting and temperature to your needs, using information from its network of sensors: laser scanners, ultrasound sensors, radar sensors at the front and rear, and cameras that provide a 360 degree view of the immediate environment. The interior, too, boasts some of the most advanced technologies Volkswagen has ever developed. Like the artificial intelligence system in the vehicle’s central computer that creates real-time images of the area around the vehicle, enabling it to react to hazards. Or to communicate with other road users. The 8000 individually controllable HD Matrix LEDS in the headlights can also be used to project graphics in front of the ID. Vizzion. Like zebra stripes that show pedestrians they have a safe place to cross.
Welcome to a new world.
With two motors on the front and rear axles, the ID. Vizzion has a total of 225 kW of system power. With this, you even have a range of 665 kilometres. And with the all-wheel drive system, it can conquer any terrain. The MEB also means that many of the car's technical features and specifications can be adapted to different user needs, as Dr Frank Welsch, Volkswagen Board Member for Technical Development, explains. “The technical principle behind the ID. family is very impressive: the size, battery and drive system are all scalable. This means that we can occupy numerous segments and fulfil all of our customers’ needs, from compact cars right up to touring saloons.”
It might sound like science fiction, but it might soon be reality. Because almost all of the technologies inside the ID. Vizzion either already exist or are currently in development at Volkswagen. “We plan to be building around one million all-electric vehicles per year by 2025. The compact ID. and ID. Crozz SUV will kick us off in 2020. In 2022, these will be followed by the ID. Buzz touring saloon and the ID. Vizzion, whose concept car we presented in Geneva”, says Dr Diess. At Volkswagen, the future is just around the corner.
*HoloLens (mixed reality glasses) have integrated sensors and internal computers that allow passengers to view 3D projections in the real world environment.