Depending on your definition of a car, the Volkswagen Gen.Travel may not fall into that category due to the absence of a steering wheel. It’s not one of those odd concepts with the steering wheel that folds up once you activate the autonomous driving mode as is conceivable for driverless rides only. The body style is odd because VW says it blurs the line between a sedan and a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) aka a minivan in layman’s terms.
Gen.Travel has not been envisioned as a car that ordinary people can buy, but rather as a mobility service that you can rent. VW is calling it an “Innovation Experience Vehicle (IEV)” to see how long-distance mobility will change in the next decade. It’s seen as an alternative to jumping into an airplane for short flights, which tells us it has a big enough battery for long trips (by car travel standards).
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Maximum comfort is ensured by an active suspension dubbed the electric Active Body Control (eABC) which calculates lateral and vertical movements such as cornering, acceleration and prior braking to optimize the force and trajectory of the “ride” automatically. With the help of artificial intelligence, VW sees a future where fully autonomous platoons – a group of vehicles driven together – will make it possible to maximize range by driving as efficiently as possible.
As for Gen.Travel itself, the design study features large gullwing doors that provide access to a comfortable cabin unobstructed by B-pillars. The seats fold flat, so you can rest while the car is driving for you. Alternatively, the cabin’s business specifications suggest room for four with face-to-face seating and a work desk. The spacious greenhouse with large side windows and a large glass roof makes the interior feel spacious, although we admit the body shape is not the slimmest.
It doesn’t appear to have a VW badge inside or out, but that’s probably because Gen.Travel represents the entire Volkswagen Group rather than just the core brand. The Level 5 autonomous design study will make its public debut on September 24 during the Chantilly Arts & Elegance event near Paris. While the production version won’t be available anytime soon, the German manufacturer says some features will eventually make its way to series vehicles.
