Discover the Volkswagen ID.Code, an autonomous car that comes with an integrated vacuum cleaner and multimedia windows | Technology

German automaker Volkswagen (VW) presented its concept model at the last Beijing Motor Show, the Volkswagem ID.Code. According to the manufacturer, the model was designed specifically for Chinese customers, but its design ushers in a new direction for VW’s upcoming SUVs in general.

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The model features an advanced driving assistance system, which makes it capable, says VW, of level 4 automated driving. This means that the driver would not need to pay attention to the road and could even rotate the seat 180 degrees while the car is moving to talk to other passengers.

The car is fully electric, including the door opening system. Volkswagen states that the interior was designed as a lounge with online connectivity covered in ecological and vegan materials.

Four people can travel in individual aircraft-like seats, which can swivel for easy entry and exit, as well as recline for sleeping.

The model also has semi-transparent windows that can project images both to those inside and outside, as well as a lighting system that can communicate with other road users.

There is also a so-called Hygiene mode, which can be activated when there is no one inside the car – for example, after a long journey. Ultraviolet light and antibacterial filters supposedly clean the air, while an integrated robot vacuum that goes by the name “Lupo” does its job of cleaning the carpets and seats.

Reporter Iulian Dnistran, from the Inside EVs website, which specializes in electric vehicles, says that when the so-called Center Pilot is activated, the stick-shaped steering wheel retracts into the panel, making the cabin look more like a capsule than a normal vehicle. An AI-assisted avatar acts as a digital co-pilot.

The side windows and front passenger side of the windshield can display information about the weather, battery status, navigation map or media library. There’s also a full-width screen under the windshield that extends into the doors. The German carmaker claims that the digital avatar that appears in the semi-transparent side windows can tell the driver to use sunscreen if sunny weather is forecast or to carry an umbrella if rain is forecast.

The Volkswagen ID also has hundreds of LEDs integrated into the front and rear, which can “talk” to other road users, changing their color or simulating human eyes, letting pedestrians and other drivers know that the car is in autonomous mode.

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