Volkswagen is launching a new initiative – create a world with self-driving vehicles that transport people in living room-like comfort, all without the need of a driver’s license, eyesight, or even the physical ability to drive. Leading the charge is the first concept car from Volkswagen Group. It’s named Sedric, which is short for self-driving car. VG says Sedric is the “father” of other autonomous concepts soon to come, each branded from different subsidiary brands under the VG umbrella. These “children” and “grandchildren” will build on Sedric’s foundation, eventually providing ride-sharing and private ownership experiences unlike anything known today.

Granted, this is a tall order for Volkswagen. There are a ton of moving parts that must be incorporated, not the least of which is the proliferation of the Internet of Things. Still, the new world previewed by Sedric is one of comfort and convenience, without the hassles inherent to driving. Think inner city commuting or the daily grind of chauffeuring kids to school, parents to work, and the insane scheduling that surrounds after-school activities. Sedric’s self-driving and autonomous nature alleviates the stress of transportation. Or so Volkswagen hopes.

Sedric’s overall design is one of originality. It doesn’t need to conform to the traditional configuration of a car or SUV. It has almost no overhangs beyond its wheels, it doesn’t waste interior space with driver controls, and it incorporated technology in nearly every aspect of its design. Its all-electric drivetrain offers clean, quite transportation, while requiring minimal space under the floor.

Now Volkswagen isn’t trying to kill the joy of driving. Rather, the automaker is trying to revolutionize personal transportation for busy families, older children, and senior citizens. The local Porsche dealership will still have go-fast fun machines ready to tackle the back roads and by-ways.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen Sedric Concept.

2017 Volkswagen Sedric Concept

Specifications
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  • Model: 2017 Volkswagen Sedric Concept
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Pros
Cons

Exterior

The Volkswagen Sedric is certainly a fresh take on personal transportation. Its design favors an airport tram rather than a minivan – and that’s a good thing. Despite its apparent public transportation inspiration, the Sedric looks decidedly up-market and high-end. Every crease and corner are rounded, with accents of sharp angles in the headlights. Large windows make up a majority of real estate, providing unprecedented views all around.

Getting into the Sedric happens via large doors on either side, nestled between the wheels. Again with the airport tram theme, these dual doors allow for a wide entrance for people and their things.

Most car-like features are hidden with the Sedric, including the wheels and tires. The large, body-color panels both improve aerodynamics, while also providing a more cohesive appearance. In fact, the only elements protruding from the Sedric’s body are the LIDAR sensors mounted on the roof. Even the LED headlights are covertly and seamlessly incorporated into the front fascia.

Volkswagen did give the Sedric (or should we just call it Sedric?) some personality, though. Those headlights are capable of winking, making this toaster seem more personable. Functionally, the headlights also serve as turn signals and warning lights.

Overall, Sedric is a clean, high-tech piece of machinery that wouldn’t look out of place in a remake of Will Smith’s I, Robot. Let’s just hope the plot line doesn’t make the transition from concept to reality.

Interior

Like the outside, the interior hardly resembles anything normally associated with personal transportation. There is no steering wheel, pedals, or dashboard. Rather the rear features couch-like seating for two, while the front features rear-facing jump seats. These seats can be folded for increased room for storage or likely to accommodate a wheelchair.

Technology abounds in the modernistic cabin. Both front and rear glass panels serve as computer screens. These OLED displays are the interface for Sedric, offering readouts for navigation, voice command responses, and other items.

Volkswagen has incorporated upscale materials in the cabin, too, with wood floors, matching wood inserts in the doors, and leather coverings on the jump seats. The rear seats are covered in a trendy cloth material. Fresh air is provided by the HVAC system, along with air-purifying plants positioned in front of the rear window. The HVAC system also uses bamboo charcoal air filters.

Drivetrain

Volkswagen revealed nothing about what powers the Sedric. It’s obvious the vehicle is fully electric, but there is no word on whether its AWD, what size its electric motors are, or how much range its batteries provide. We’d venture to be Volkswagen engineers are chasing that all-important 300-mile per charge range, if not more. That should be well beyond what anyone would travel in a day, especially in an urban environment.

Self-Driving Nature

Sedric has been designed from the ground up as a Level 5 autonomous vehicle. It’s designed to operate on its own, without human action. This means Sedric could drop you off at the airport and return home. It will find its own parking space at the grocery store. It will fetch the kids from school by itself. It will even transport a sleeping family towards grandmas house for Thanksgiving.

Of course, that’s for Sedrics that are personally owned. Volkswagen envisions a fleet of public use vehicles serving like Uber or Lyft. These vehicles would be hailed from a simplistic, one-button key fob. Volkswagen even calls it “The Button.” This UBS jump drive-like device then alerts the user of the Sedrics’ arrival. Hailing a ride-sharing dedicated Sedric would call the closest free Sedric, and likely one with enough charge to complete your pre-determined trip.

While Volkswagen does envision the expansion of ride sharing, it isn’t giving up on personal vehicle ownership. We definitely commend Volkswagen for that.

Conclusion

The Sedric is a giant leap forward in autonomous transportation and its overall usability. While Sedric is merely a concept at this point, it leads the way in Volkswagen’s development of future autonomous vehicles. It will be interesting to see what the future holds.

Sure, most driving enthusiasms recoil at the though of fleets of autonomous vehicles lifelessly pandering down a digitally mapped highway with computer precision, the act of actually driving a vehicle surely has several more decades of life left. Perhaps the roads will be even more fun, since texting teens, old ladies, and drunk party-goers will be safety coddled in their self-driving boxes. That leaves the roads open for us.