Volkswagen is trying to isolate its largest and most profitable market from the frictions of the international situation by doing not only production, but also development entirely locally; more than 30 new models will be launched in China in the next 6 years, including global cars and gasoline, plug-in and electric cars developed specifically in China. The Volkswagen ID.Code study presented at the Beijing Auto Show shows an electric car specifically tailored to the needs of Chinese customers.
The truth is that the European and Chinese developers still worked together on the appearance, but only because they had just created the design of the brand’s next-generation recreational vehicles, within the framework of which the Chinese team then finalized the appearance of the ID.Code. Compared to the ID.4 on the market today, we see much more detail on the body, the side wall is full of embossing and character lines, the LED lighting is arranged in strips at the front and back. While the side wall hints at a station wagon finish, you can see from above that the roof line is actually a coupe due to the giant roof spoiler. The sensors required for level 4 self-driving have been well hidden, the outline of which lights up when the system is active – this gives other drivers a clue that the human driver is not in control.
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They have created a completely new digital experience, the image of the personalized digital assistant appears in the side window when the user approaches, and welcomes the person with advice on using sunscreen in sunny weather. Of course, those who do not want such banal conversation can also choose to display, for example, the battery charge/range, or the next entries in the calendar of the paired device. The interior of the Volkswagen ID.Code wants to be a room providing modern digital services, environmentally friendly materials from non-animal sources are used with spectacular backlighting, the edge under the windshield is entirely devoted to digital technology. When self-driving is activated, the steering wheel retracts, in which case the front seats can be turned backwards, and the lounge is immediately ready. The center console, which also includes a refrigerator, can be moved along the entire length of the passenger compartment. There is an option to disinfect the passenger compartment, in which case the electronics circulates the interior air through UV light and also activates the built-in robot vacuum cleaner.
It has not been revealed when we can meet the first production car that wears the design anticipated by the Volkswagen ID.Code, but it is expected to be part of the model offensive that will start soon. Perhaps we will meet it among the newly founded sub-brand ID.UX, which distributes more spectacular cars, which will launch in 2024 with a redesigned version of the Cupra Tavascan.
