After some recent controversy over emissions, Volkswagen is working hard to restore consumer confidence. The company's goal to release 30 electric or hybrid vehicle models by 2025 is a centerpiece of that effort.
Their latest offering is a sleek, futuristic upgrade to one of the company's most iconic models, the Microbus.
The I.D. Buzz is the namesake of Volkswagen's artificial intelligence (AI) system, I.D. The AI is said to have the ability to discern between drivers to automatically customize things like seat position and other environmental factors — it can even choose the appropriate music to play. The windshield features a heads-up display, and the center console is a detachable tablet that can be used outside of the vehicle.
The I.D. Buzz boasts a spacious interior thanks to a combination of Volkswagen's Modular Electric Driving Kit (MEB) and rearrangeable seating, which is placed on a rail system that even allows for a foldout table.
The vehicle's two electric motors allow the bus to travel up to 434 kilometers (270 miles) on a single charge. The motors' 369 horsepower make the vehicle capable of accelerating from zero to 96 kmh (zero to 60 mph) in five seconds, with a maximum speed of 159 kmh (99 mph).
The vehicle is also fully autonomous, relying on lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and cameras to work with GPS to guide the vehicle. The car is also able to keep track of live traffic updates and to record and provide data to make driving safer for other autonomous vehicles.
We look forward to what the future has in store for Volkswagen and other companies bolstering the electric and autonomous transport revolutions.
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