The new Volkswagen Gen.Urban is currently being deployed to test Volkswagen’s forthcoming autonomous-driving technology.
Testing is taking place on public roads in Volkswagen’s home city of Wolfsburg, with VW confirming that the Gen.Urban is now capable of navigating urban traffic on its own.
Each Gen.Urban test run covers 10 km (6.2 miles) and lasts around 20 minutes, a distance comparable to a recent autonomous test of a Nissan Leaf on British roads.
Unlike conventional vehicles, the Gen.Urban features a unique design and a notable absence of certain traditional elements. Similar to the Tesla Cybercab (formerly known as the Robotaxi) unveiled last year, the Gen.Urban has no steering wheel or pedals.
During the current testing phase, Volkswagen reports that a ‘trained safety driver’ supervises the Gen.Urban from a passenger seat, with the capability to intervene using a joystick if necessary.
Volkswagen’s goal with the Gen.Urban project is not solely to refine autonomous driving technology. The company is also studying how passengers respond to a vehicle without a driver or conventional driving controls.
Dr. Nikolai Ardey, Head of Volkswagen Group Innovation, comments: “the key to a positive customer experience is to build trust – through meaningful interaction, a relaxed atmosphere, and intelligent assistance systems that respond precisely to the needs of passengers. We will benefit from these insights across the entire [VW] Group in the long term.”
Inside the Gen.Urban, passengers can adjust climate settings, ambient lighting, and seat positioning. Volkswagen adds that the front dashboard screen can adapt dynamically for ‘information, light, and sound’.
Volkswagen, like many other automakers, has incorporated ‘Level 2’ autonomous driving technology into its vehicles for several years.
This includes features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic lane centering, and even automatic lane changes. By comparison, Level 3 autonomy allows the car to manage driving tasks independently, provided the driver is prepared to take control at any moment.
