Volkswagen surprised everyone when it decided to bring back the iconic Type 2 Bus as a new-generation electric vehicle named ID.Buzz. With an all-new modern design language and an electric powertrain, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz evoked the emotion of nostalgia among car enthusiasts. Now, Volkswagen has made a step to move past the nostalgia factor and move into the future, and it is doing it with the Gen.Travel concept.

With level 5 autonomous drivability, futuristic styling, and a modular interior, the new Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept previews the future of people movers. Volkswagen is currently testing the functionalities of the Gen.Travel concept as a vehicle for family-oriented private car buyers and fleet owners. Based on the results, the production version of the all-electric Gen.Travel will get launched, the timeline for which is still not out.

Related: Here's Why The Volkswagen ID.Xtreme Concept Is An Exciting Electric Offroader

The New Volkswagen Gen.Travel Concept Looks Sci-Fi

Side profile of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept in motion
Volkswagen

Unlike the ID.Buzz, a modern representation of the iconic VW Bus, the new Gen.Travel previews a futuristic design language never seen before in a Volkswagen. It looks like it is out of a sci-fi movie, which makes it stand apart from the current crop of even the latest-gen production EVs from Volkswagen.

The front and rear bumpers here have curved designs and accommodate modern LED lighting elements. The front profile of the Gen.Travel gets large-looking C-shaped daytime running LEDs with LED projectors stacked within them. At the back, vertical LED strips are on the corners behind the wheel arches, with an additional LED strip across its width below the rear windscreen.

Rear three quarter look of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept
Volkswagen

Both front and rear profiles of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel get vertically-flat bumpers, which get Volkswagen lettering instead of the traditional VW logo. The overall exterior design of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel gets divided into two parts. The upper part of the Gen.Travel is a glass cabin, which features a transparent appearance all around and looks affixed to the lower part of the vehicle.

This upper part also comprises a vertically laid front windscreen and tapered edges for the rear windscreen. To maximize the outer view from the cabin, the edges of the window panels are lower. This vehicle features centrally-placed wing doors between flared gloss black arches for the wheels, which make the side profile look cool.

A Modular Interior Focusing On Leisure And Entertainment

Business seating arrangement of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept
Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Gen.Travel might look like a people-mover of the future, but it is nowhere close to traditional MPVs which we have seen to date. Unlike a conventional three-row MPV, the Gen.Travel has a four-seater cabin, which showcases a modular design.

It means that the interior is fully customizable for various kinds of journeys, thus making the Volkswagen Gen.Travel a ‘mobility-as-a-service’ offering. The cabin has several human-machine-interface (HMI) elements made using sustainable and recyclable materials.

The modular seating arrangement of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel includes a conference setup, which is an arrangement consisting of four comfortable seats with a large table in between them. This setup is perfectly suitable for business trips or to attend meetings while on the go.

Family seating arrangement of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept
Volkswagen

There’s also an overnight setup on offer, in which two seats can get folded into beds that can go down into a full-flat position. In all the seating arrangements, an innovative passenger restraint system takes care of the safety of passengers.

Another attention-grabbing highlight of the interior of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel is its dynamic ambient lighting, designed to ensure that the occupants have a pleasant environment that keeps them away from the danger of motion sickness.

It also keeps the occupants calm and composed and can make them fall asleep and wake up by influencing melatonin production just with its operation. In addition to this, the front seats of Gen.Travel come equipped with the feature of augmented reality for entertainment features for children.

Related: 10 Reasons Why You Should Consider Buying The Volkswagen ID.4

A New-Gen Vehicle From Volkswagen That Prioritizes Comfort

Interior of the Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept
Volkswagen

For people movers and MPVs, comfort has always been on the topmost position in the priority list, and Volkswagen intends to do the same with the Gen.Travel concept. The Gen.Travel concept gets active suspension eABC (electric Active Body Control), which claims a well-sorted ride and handling balance.

This system comprises sensors that calculate the lateral and vertical movements of the vehicle during acceleration, braking, and cornering. Depending on the data received, the Gen.Travel concept optimizes its trajectory and driving style accordingly.

The Gen.Travel concept also becomes the first vehicle concept from Volkswagen to feature a level 5 autonomous driving assistance system (Level 5 ADAS). Making the vehicle a fully autonomous machine, the level 5 ADAS allows the Gen.Travel concept to perform all driving tasks under all conditions, with zero human attention or interaction required.

With this, Gen.Travel previews the best among artificial intelligence technologies from the house of Volkswagen to date. If the production version of the Gen.Travel happens to come anytime soon, it can be one of the pioneers of level 5 autonomous driving in the real world.

Source: Volkswagen