Volkswagen ID.4 is derived from ID. The Crozz concept car was unveiled at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show, and Volkswagen has high hopes for its first all-electric SUV. We take a closer look at its futuristic cabin.
The cabin is light and airy, thanks in part to its simple instrument panel and large windshield. Trendy-colored ambient lighting strips help to highlight the armrests in the upper area of the door and dashboard. The front part of the instrument panel gradually descends to the inside, while the decorative trim separates the upper and lower half. The panoramic sunroof accentuates the sense of spaciousness.
All controls-including those on the steering wheel-are operated using touch-sensitive buttons. Only power windows, door mirrors and hazard warning lights are operated using traditional tactile switches. The thick drive thumbstick selector behind the steering wheel is simple in itself; twist clockwise to move forward and counterclockwise to reverse. One benefit of the small instrument cluster mounted on the column is that when you adjust the steering wheel, it will not block the sight of the instrument cluster when they move together.
However, the capacitive contact at the bottom of the touch screen (used to control the volume and temperature of the car radio) will not be backlit when driving at night. The volume can also be operated using the thumb pad of the steering wheel. Drivers can also use their voices to adjust the temperature.
In terms of size, ID.4 is 4,584 mm long, 1,852 mm wide, and 1,640 mm high. The end result is enough room for a six-foot-tall person sitting in the back row of theater-style seats, that is, slightly higher than the front row.
In terms of storage, the luggage compartment can hold 543 liters of luggage (including an under-floor storage area for two charging cables), and the split rear seat backrest can increase its volume to 1,575 liters after folding. The covered center console storage area is long and wide, and the partitions can be disassembled and reconfigured to fit. There are also two cup holders in the front. The door’s trash can is deep and lined with cashmere to avoid clicking around.
At the back, legroom is similar to Tiguan Allspace, while headroom for all five passengers is slightly better. The flat floor means that three people can sit in the back very comfortably. The backrest of each front seat contains a magazine rack in the lower half and a phone pocket in the upper half. This is another good idea.
In the form of a wide and narrow 54-LED light bar under the windshield, Volkswagen’s "ID". Light' is designed to help the driver. Once seated, the system will signal ID.4 that it is ready to drive. During driving and when the car is about to turn, according to the route planned in the navigation system, the light will move to the left or right end of the strip accordingly. After connecting your mobile phone to the car, the strip will flash green when receiving a call. When the car is charging, a green bar will form from left to right, representing the battery charge level, so that the status can be viewed from a distance. Although such "look at this" innovations feel a bit weird, they help it stand out in the fast-growing electric SUV market.
The optional augmented reality (AR) head-up display (HUD) projects vehicle information (such as its speed) onto the windshield in front of the driver, for example, the steering arrow of the navigation system is also displayed when relevant. However, the driver sees the information as a 3D interlaced image at a viewing distance of about three to ten meters in front of the vehicle. This means that the display seems to have been integrated into the real world outside the car. When adaptive cruise control or driving assist is activated, any vehicle in front of ID.4 will be highlighted by the AR HUD with a light mark at a certain speed.
Voice control also plays a role in ID.4. The driver and front passenger can issue commands such as "Hello ID, I am cold" to turn on the heating or "Hello ID, play radio 2" to switch the infotainment system to the corresponding radio station. The panoramic sunroof shade can also be operated by voice control. Although it may be a little glitch.
The online connection unit of ID.4 brings We Connect Start's online services into the car. Highlights of We Connect Start include navigation and various vehicle-related services. The online traffic information service provides the driver with detailed information at any point on the selected route, as well as any potential hazards. At the same time, the charging station service provides real-time data on available charging points nearby. It provides detailed information about its charging capacity and tariff costs.
ID.4 under IQ has many driver assistance systems installed. Drive umbrella designation. They include a front radar sensor, a front camera, two rear radar sensors, and eight ultrasonic sensors for monitoring the area around the car.
As part of the Assistance "Plus" package, Travel Assist bundles together features and functions that are more common in the luxury car category. This system largely takes over the driver's acceleration and braking at any speed, and also helps to keep ID.4 in its lane through appropriate steering interventions (within system limits). The driver must lightly touch the capacitive steering wheel to keep the adaptive lane guidance active. Adaptive cruise control with speed limiter is also integrated into Travel Assist.
Eco Assistance is another standard configuration system on ID.4. It evaluates navigation data and road signs detected by the front camera. For example, if ID.4 is close to a curve or a town boundary, the system can intuitively indicate when to release the throttle. This simple and complex calculation enables the car's drive system to perform the best energy recovery, thereby supporting the best range performance.
Other ADAS features include lane assist (to help prevent cars from accidentally crossing lane markings on the road), emergency assist (try to use steering shake to remind or wake up the driver, if it fails to respond, an emergency stop will be activated), side assist (With the help of the rear radar system to monitor the traffic behind the car, especially for "blind spots") and front assist. The latter uses cameras to monitor the area in front of the car. It responds to potential impending collisions through warnings and braking interventions (if needed). At the same time, the oncoming vehicle braking function of ID.4 will monitor the opposite lane when turning, and if an emergency is predicted, it will issue a warning and/or automatically brake the car. Swerve supports the driver to navigate obstacles on the road and avoid minor parking collisions by providing corresponding steering interventions. The standard audible parking distance control has an integrated motorized braking system. The rear view camera contains a high-pressure jet, which can be activated if it gets dirty.
The current best sellers of the ID.4 series are the Pro Performance power system, the Life specification and the 77 kWh battery option. Our Pro Performance has a power of 77 kWh and 204 PS, and the actual cruising range is 280 miles when fully charged on cold days. Using a 100kW charger can charge the battery to about 80% in less than an hour, while it takes about 9 hours to fully charge a 7kW household wall-mounted charging box. Its tight turning circle facilitates maneuvering in towns and multi-storey parking lots.
In general, the very spacious interior of ID.4 makes people shine. Although its minimalist dash means that HVAC settings and audio can be adjusted through a large 10-inch touch screen, the graphics are clear and responsive. Its clean, futuristic cockpit will not offend others. There is no start button. Once seated, ID.4 will be powered on and ready to drive. When you climb out of the car, it will turn off the power and emit a crisp bell to confirm that the car is turned off. Few people dislike this eye-catching all-electric SUV.
The production of ID.4 is underway in Zwickau, Germany and two factories in China (Anting and Foshan). Production in Chattanooga, USA, is expected to begin next year with the second German factory in Emden. The cars on the British market are manufactured in Zwickau, a factory powered by renewable energy. ID.4 competitors include Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Related companies GlobalData GlobalData can provide actionable insights to drive your company forward August 28, 2020 Access to the data
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