Škoda’s MPV Concept Imagines Autonomous Future

Paul Myles

TU-Editor

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15th July 2022

Škoda has revealed its vision of a future autonomous people carrier with the first interior sketch of its seven-seater Vision 7S.

The automaker uses sustainable materials to create the minimalist interior. The BEV is Škoda’s first concept car to feature the manufacturer’s new design language.

Its interior features a symmetrical wrap-around design. A wide, horizontal dashboard that extends to the doors, enhances the sense of space. A specially positioned hand rest makes interacting with the touch screen and haptic buttons easy and convenient. Haptic controls are integrated into the redesigned steering wheel. Ambient lighting highlights various areas of the interior, including charging status, and provides appropriate lighting when getting in and out of the car. The door panels also feature interactive haptic and visual elements. The integrated child seat is located in the center console, the automaker cites as the safest place in a vehicle. The backrests of the front seats are fitted with holders for multimedia devices for passengers in the second and third rows. These also have backpacks integrated into them.

The spacious interior offers two distinct configurations to provide a new spatial experience for different situations – driving and relaxing. In driving mode, all the controls are set in their positions and the central touchscreen is vertically aligned to display all the relevant information while driving. Relax mode can be activated when charging or stopping for a rest; the steering wheel and instrument cluster slide forward and the first and second row seats move back for an even more relaxed seating position.

Head of Škoda design, Oliver Stefani, said: “The new design language is minimalist, functional and authentic. In the future, we will continue to focus on Škoda’s traditional strengths, such as generous space, easy usability and a high degree of functionality. With our new design language, we are taking the next step and placing even greater emphasis on the customer experience. The creativity of our designers and engineers is demonstrated through movable interior elements and newly developed Simply Clever features such as an integrated child seat. The deliberately minimalist lines also extend the clear exterior design into the interior.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_