The world of cars is in an exciting era ever since EVs took the stage. Nowadays, all automakers are trying their very best to come up with clever ideas that can increase our on-road safety and make our driving experience as easy as possible. Some automakers try to do this by perfecting what they already know, but others are mostly interested in something new.
Volkswagen falls into the second category which means that Volkswagen is keener on re-imagining what traveling is all about. As the new era of cars promotes efficiency, sustainability, technology, safety, and decarbonization, VW tried to make a single product that can satisfy all of those parameters. This is why the brand-new Volkswagen GEN.TRAVEL Design Study exists.
In this article, we will tell you all about Volkswagen GEN.TRAVEL Design study and what makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd. First of all, some might not even consider the Gen.Travel to be a car at all because it does not even come with a steering wheel. Sure, there are many concepts out there that come with retractable steering wheels, but the Gen.Travel comes without a steering wheel completely.
The idea behind this creation is to make a fully autonomous vehicle designed to replace short-distance flying. This concept has been around for the past few years, and it seems like Volkswagen is the first one to actually try it out.
What Is The Volkswagen GEN.TRAVEL Design Study?
The VW Gen.Travel represents a solution to a few notable issues associated with modern-day traveling. The entire humanity is aware that climate change is taking its toll on our planet and that we need to come up with ideas that can replace some of the pollutants with something cleaner. Here comes the Gen.Travel, a car designed to do long-distance autonomous driving with 0 Co2 emissions and a big battery.
Even though cars are polluting significantly, airplanes are a much bigger problem and many people tend to fly even on short-distance journeys which certainly isn’t necessary. With a complete lack of a steering wheel, the Gen.Travel is a certified Level 5 autonomous self-driving car which means that no driver input is needed at any time.
The idea behind this is that the Gen.Travel becomes a car/service you can rent. The Gen.Travel is then tasked with arriving at your desired location and taking you to your destination in complete comfort without needing to touch any controls whatsoever. Sure, this technology is still in its infancy, but VW decided that it is time to try something different.
What Is The Purpose Of The VW Gen.Travel Design Study?
The Gen.Travel is set out to do more things at once which means that it should serve as general idea carmakers ought to consider while it is also a test-bed for future VW technologies. Volkswagen said that the Gen.Travel introduces many new things to the industry, some of which are bound to find their way into existing and next-gen VW cars.
A perfect example of that is the cutting-edge Active Body Control suspension which calculates both lateral and vertical movements during cornering and adjusts the car’s stiffness and anti-roll properties to optimize comfort, dynamics, and any other qualities of driving.
Other introductions include huge glass surfaces and new-age Gullwing doors which are designed for the least amount of obstruction both while getting in and out and while driving. Next-gen dynamic ambient lighting that communicates with the driver is also an important part of the entire experience and this is likely going to trickle down to serial production models at some point.
Can The VW Gen.Travel Design Study Accomplish Its Goals?
It’s safe to say that the idea behind the VW Gen.Travel is extremely ambitious and that VW is trying to do something that isn’t even legal at this point. As such, the Gen.Travel is mostly an idea, a concept, and a perspective on the future in order to induce thinking about what we can do as a collective to save our planet in the long run.
VW also says that the Gen.Travel is designed to work in conjunction with a whole host of relaxation systems that are intended to even help you fall asleep while inside a car. It’s safe to say that the Gen.Travel is just an idea at this point and that it is not going to become a standard anytime soon.
Be that as it may, certain systems found within the Gen.Travel are likely going to trickle down to more accessible and existing VW models.
FAQ Section
What Does Level 5 Driving Autonomy Mean?
A level 5 autonomy of driving is what we like to call “ a complete deletion of driver involvement in the complete process of driving”. This means that a Level 5 autonomy car can do everything on its own and it does not require a steering wheel or any pedals.
Moreover, Level 5 autonomy cars don’t even require you to be awake while in the car or even suggest you go to sleep. This means that a Level 5 car is designed to do absolutely everything on its own which includes parking, decision-making in risky situations, and even choosing your route.
Is it legal to have a fully autonomous car?
Not exactly. Even though there are some states where fully autonomous cars are allowed to join the traffic, this is not prohibited on a mass-scale level. Many automakers these days say that their cars have all the necessary technology to drive completely autonomously, but this poses lots of questions from a regulatory point of view.
It’s still problematic to decide who is at fault when a completely autonomous car ends up in an accident and how can one manage traffic where some cars are fully autonomous while others are driven by human beings. For now, completely and unobstructed autonomy is illegal, at least on a mass scale.
Is the VW Gen.Travel a real car?
It depends on how you define a car. VW says that the Gen.Travel is just an electric car that is fully independent and fully autonomous. However, some state that in order for something to be considered a car, it needs to have a steering wheel in some form or fashion.
