Peugeot hopes to make our lives easier with the self-driving Instinct Concept. “Self-driving cars are the next automotive revolution. Every manufacturer will be offering this technology. The difference will lie in how they go about it”, says Peugeot.
The Instinct Concept offers four ways of getting around: two active driving modes (Drive Boost or Drive Relax) and two self-driving modes (Autonomous Sharp or Autonomous Soft). The driver retains control of the shooting brake concept in all circumstances. In Autonomous mode, drivers can give a command or make a manoeuvre via the i-Device on the central console. The i-Device sits next to the 9.7-inch screen on the central console and can be used to command the car at any time.
Peugeot also tells us few stories on how the car will make our lives easier. Here it goes. Its 9 PM Tuesday, and you’re very tired after your session at the gym. Your Instinct Concept is aware of this, thanks to your smartwatch and so switches to Autonomous Soft mode. You can take some rest during the journey back home. As you approach your house, the outside lights come on to light up your driveway. Impressed? Here’s another one – Its 8 AM Thursday. Yesterday’s sport wasn’t enough! Your car suggests you park a ten-minute walk from your office to help you keep fit. On Friday afternoon, the journey to your next appointment includes a section on the motorway and a winding local road. The motorway part is covered in Autonomous Sharp mode. Then, knowing that you enjoy a dynamic drive, the car switches itself to Drive Boost mode when you join the local road.
The car pre-configures a range of features: driving mode, seat and interface settings, ambient lighting, hi-fi system, and so on. However, the driver remains fully in charge, able to choose between a manual drive or letting the car do the work in Autonomous mode.
The four modes allow for particularly precise management. Drive Boost is designed for a dynamic drive. Drive Relax uses the ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) to assist the driver. This includes features such as automatic main beam switching or the active cruise control.
Autonomous Soft mode is for comfort. The journeys may be a little longer, giving you time to watch a film, read or simply rest. Finally, Autonomous Sharp optimizes journey times with precise, efficient road handling.
Explaining the front design, Peugeot says there is a camera lens fitted in the centre of each LED headlamp, evoking the pupil of an eye. These cameras scan the vehicle’s environment and send information back to the driving assistance systems. The grille’s aspect changes depending on which way you look at it. Its semi-hollowed structure features a Lion which is underlined in white when Autonomous mode is activated. On either side of the headlamps, the light signature stretches the full height of the front mask. It is deployed from 90 km/h upwards, with a two-fold objective. Firstly, the lower parts of the two light guides are connected by a strip that provides extra downforce on the front axle.
“Designing a self-driving car is an exciting challenge. There are two opposing concepts – active driving and autonomous mode – and our job is to bring them together, with one clear objective: maintaining the enjoyment and arousing emotions. Peugeot Instinct Concept is the first self-driving concept that keeps driving pleasure in mind”, says Gilles Vidal, Head of Styling at Peugeot
The car uses Samsung ARTIK IoT cloud platform to keep the user connected. There isn’t much technical details available yet, but the Instinct is a 4WD PHEV (Plug-in hybrid), with a combined output of 300 hp.
“Samsung ARTIK Cloud enables easy and transparent interaction between connected devices and services, freeing users from having to worry about the underlying technology. Together, the Peugeot Instinct Concept and Samsung ARTIK Cloud are delivering on the vision of the connected car and making it a reality”, said Dr. Luc Julia, Vice President of Innovation at Samsung Electronics
“Connected devices and services have become extensions of ourselves. At Peugeot, we have integrated this technology into our cars in increasingly simple and ergonomic ways, offering our clients a relaxed, empowering and wholly unprecedented driving experience. One that puts our clients in control of their own mobility, granting them complete autonomy”, says Aude Brille, head of strategy at Peugeot
The concept will be displayed at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show next month, and before that, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.
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