A focus on people. "The design of the van concept places people at the center of focus; it should appeal to them and invite them to come in," is how Klaus Bischoff describes it. Awaiting them there is an interior that combines the world of the automobile with the atmosphere of a lounge space. Tomasz Bachorski, Head of Interior Design of the Volkswagen brand, explains the next development phase for the interior: "From now on, we will even be networking the vehicle much more intensively to make it more interactive and to liven up this space that is shared by friends and family. The interior will become a sort of living room. A mobile place to feel at home. And this is exactly where we are going with the overall interior concept." There are therefore no longer any classic instruments or controls, for instance; employed in their place is an intuitively operated alliance consisting of:
- Touch-sensitive steering wheel (multifunction steering wheel with capacitive surfaces),
- AR Head-up Display and
- Center console tablet (also in the rear seating area and can be used outside of the car).
In the "I.D. Pilot" mode, the front seats can be electrically unlatched and rotated so that they face the rear. Beforehand, the entire multifunctional center console – the "I.D. Box" – moves rearward. All other seating places can also be used flexibly.
Flexible seat layout. The seating system is also flexibly designed to be like the living space at home or a lounge space. This variability is based on the seat rail system that is integrated in the flat floor and on the adjustable and folding seats that are typical of Volkswagen vans. Some examples of variable use: The seatbacks of the individual second row seats can be folded to form tables. At stops, the third seat row can be made into a bed with just a few hand motions. Rest breaks and picnics take on a new quality. This also enables use of the I.D. BUZZ for overnighting. When the trip is resumed, clever detailed solutions make travel more pleasant. For instance, there are the softly padded side sun visors at the rear – they can be moved and are designed so that a passenger can lean on them. Individually placeable cushions also underscore the cozy atmosphere of the interior, which is flooded with light thanks to the large window areas and two-part panoramic roof.
Stylish interior. The warm interior colors are in keeping with its lounge space character. For instance, the dashpad in front of the driver and front passenger exhibits a color transition from Magnet Metallic to Moon White Metallic, and the dashpad and door panel structures that are interspersed with a honeycomb pattern are also illuminated by the ambient lighting. Sophisticated and stylish details are a common theme in the interior concept.
- Wood floor. The floor is made of fine birch wood (Silver Birch). The bright and friendly birch color underscores the cozy character of the interior. In the rear seating area, aluminum inlays in the wood take up the honeycomb pattern of the dashpad and touch-sensitive steering wheel as well as the front bumper.
- Door trim. The top sections of the doors are covered with durable, sophisticated metallic artificial leather which features a gentle curve in the front area. The interplay of color is underscored by the transition from the darker driver's area to the bright comfort zone at the rear – the cocooning area. The designers have upgraded the lower sections of the door trim panels with a creme-colored knitted fabric that is used throughout the rear seating area. The interior design and materials used reflect a successful synthesis of innovative design and a youthful character.
- Seat fabrics. An innovative knit fabric that features a graduated honeycomb pattern which is perfectly coordinated with the seats makes the design very sophisticated. The refined knitting technique used to produce the individual diamond shapes lets a light metallic background material show through. Thanks to its high elasticity, the material conforms excellently to the seat shape. Accentuated details in yellow such as piping and seat belts with yellow-beige color transitions showcase the contemporary and fresh look of the I.D. BUZZ and also create a connection between exterior and interior.
Starting and stopping scenario. As soon as the driver's seat is occupied, the steering wheel, which is retracted into the dashpad in parking mode, extends out, and the indicators and buttons on the steering wheel light up simultaneously. In parallel, the I.D. BUZZ activates the AR Head-up Display and the tablet in the "I.D. Box". The ambient lighting also greets the driver with a welcome scenario. Close the doors, buckle up, press the brake pedal and select the driving gear – and the I.D. BUZZ is immediately ready to start off; there is no longer any engine start/stop button. The concept car is shut off by the "P" button on the steering wheel. When that is done, the steering wheel retracts flush into the cockpit panel.
Steering wheel becomes touch-sensitive steering wheel. The steering wheel of the I.D. BUZZ does not have any spokes, rather it has a completely enclosed form. The wheel – which is trimmed with Nappa leather on its outer borders – is becoming more and more of an interactive touchpad. A new concept has been created here: the touch-sensitive steering wheel. Via touch-sensitive areas on its surface, the driver can operate the driving positions (P, R, N and D), turn signals and various menu functions as well as settings for the AR Head-up Display. The outer region of the touchpad has a honeycomb-like light signature. The same is true of the dashpad in front of the driver and front passenger. Pressing on the illuminated VW logo in the middle of the touch-sensitive steering wheel initiates a switch between the "Drive" mode and "I.D. Pilot" mode; the steering wheel then retracts or extends accordingly. When the touch-sensitive steering wheel is extended, i.e. in "Drive" mode, it is possible to look along the steering column and to the front of the car; a transparent look that makes the interior appear even airier.
Multifunctional "I.D. Box" with Beats loudspeakers. The "I.D. Box" is a perfect fit for the character of the I.D. BUZZ. When the van is being driven by the driver, the I.D. Box is positioned in front between the seats. In this case, the tablet integrated into the console is positioned to serve as a display and control element for the driver and front passenger. The I.D. Box is also equipped with loudspeakers from Beats, which are interconnected with the smartphones on board and the sound system of the I.D. BUZZ via Bluetooth. When the driver switches to the "I.D. Pilot" mode, the entire I.D. Box moves towards the rear. Other console features include cup holders and a folding table. The center console (like the Beats speakers) is easy to unsnap and remove from the vehicle. This makes it the ideal package for taking a break from driving at the beach or anywhere else.
Tablet as interactive platform. As mentioned, the Volkswagen I.D. lets the I.D. BUZZ know who the driver is. The individual vehicle settings are configured accordingly, and features such as the person's calendar are shown on the tablet. The I.D. BUZZ also knows the friends of the driver via the Volkswagen I.D. Based on this information, the car might recommend meeting with friends or activities that would fit ideally into the timing for the day. In the "I.D. Pilot" autonomous mode, the system informs the driver on the tablet about changes to the calendar, for instance. That is not all: if the I.D. BUZZ passes by one of the driver's favorite shops or a favorite restaurant, the car informs the driver on the tablet about the current offerings of these personal points of interest. This information can be hidden by a finger swipe, perhaps in order to start a game or a movie. To sum it up: a new era of interactive and personalized online services is beginning with the I.D. BUZZ.
AR-Head-up Display gives driving instructions. The large I.D. BUZZ, like the compact I.D., is equipped with an AR Head-up Display. AR stands for Augmented Reality. Information such as the directions given by the navigation system is projected as virtual images from 7 to 15 meters ahead of the car. The effect is astonishingly realistic. Direction arrows are projected via augmented reality to show exactly where the driver is heading with the van. Thanks to the AR-Head-up Display, the navigation instructions – which were originally limited to a display located in the instrument cluster – are now part of three-dimensional surroundings that the driver can experience. Drivers can use the touch-sensitive steering wheel to modify the type and amount of information shown, adapting the system to their individual needs. Three levels of information density are available here:
- Level 1: "Navigation," "Speed" and "Battery indicator"
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Level 2: level 1 plus "Phone" (in "Drive" mode) and
"Local offerings" (in "I.D. Pilot" mode) - Level 3: levels 1 and 2 plus "Friends" along the route (in "Drive" mode) and "Messages" (in "I.D. Pilot" mode)
e-Mirror instead of conventional mirror. There are no rearview mirrors in the I.D. BUZZ. Cameras and a display have taken over their job. At the usual location of the rearview mirror, there is a screen which looks exactly like a rearview mirror and performs its function: the e-Mirror. A monitor here combines the data from three external cameras. The images are transmitted from the exterior mirror cameras on the left and right sides of the car body and from a camera that faces directly rearward. Doing away with the side mirrors improves aerodynamics.
Interactive ambient lighting. The lighting mood of the interior also changes according to the mode. In "Drive" mode, all illuminated elements are lit in a white tone. When the driver activates the "I.D. Pilot" mode, they switch over to a warm mood color. In addition, the ambient lighting and touch-sensitive steering wheel assume warning and indicator functionalities. Consider "Drive" mode, for example: If the driver wants to change lanes while another vehicle is alongside, a warning light signal is shown on the relevant side of the dashpad. This means that the LED warning indicators of the lane-changing assistant, which are located in the door mirrors in today's vehicles, migrate into the interior where they are even more intuitively perceptible. Example of the "I.D. Pilot" mode: the light signal on the touch-sensitive steering wheel, which in this mode is retracted into the dashpad and thereby fixed, virtually traces the movement of a turning steering wheel.