Volkswagen Gen. Travel concept revealed

Volkswagen has debuted its latest fully autonomous technology in a new concept, dubbed the Volkswagen Gen. Travel, that’s designed to replace short-haul flights cross-country. 

Revealed at the Chantilly Arts and Elegance show in France, the 2022 Volkswagen Gen. Travel is said to create a new class of vehicle in the premium passenger car category, blending sedan and people-mover.

Inside, the Gen. Travel has a configurable cabin that can offer four seats, a central table for working on the move or even two seats that fold flat into a bed for overnight travel.

The innovation continues with special ambient interior lighting used to help the body stimulate the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin – not the sort of thing you’d expect to find in a vehicle, but this one has Level 5 autonomy that takes care of all the driving itself.

Keeping occupants safe in all cabin configurations is an innovative passenger restraint system (made from recycled and natural materials) that even works when you’re lying down in the cabin.

If you’re wondering about the unusual design of the Volkswagen Gen. Travel, the side windows taper down towards the centre of the car to provide a better view out, while the beltline rises up towards the rear of the car to shield sleeping passengers.

Designed to replace short-haul flights, which are considered highly damaging to the environment, the Gen. Travel could be offered in the future by long-range taxi providers.

It’s claimed to be a real working prototype, with new tech including active suspension (electric Active Body Control) that cancels out pitch and dive under acceleration and braking while eliminating body roll through corners.

As well as being able to drive itself, the new Volkswagen long-distance commuter also uses artificial intelligence to save battery charge and help it platoon large convoys of other vehicles on the highway to maximise range.

There’s no word on battery size but the Gen. Travel is understood to be capable of almost 1200km between top-ups thanks to its next-generation battery tech that will be smaller and lighter, as well as more energy dense.

Other tech that will debut on future Volkswagen Group products is augmented reality-based gaming to entertain passengers.

First to be introduced next year will be Level 3 autonomous aids that will see vehicles capable of driving ‘hands off the wheel’ and ‘eyes off the road’, but only in geofenced locations like government-approved stretches of highway.

Currently in Germany, Level 3 driving is only authorised at speeds below 60km/h.

It’s thought the new driverless tech might also coincide with the arrival of the eABC on the European car-making giant’s most luxurious vehicles.

Volkswagen has not confirmed the Gen. Travel will enter series production, but it’s believed the Level 5 driving aids incorporated within it will trigger more radical, capsule-style vehicles.

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