PEUGEOT has been using virtual reality for 20 years to innovate faster and more efficiently. For two decades, Peugeot has put the virtual world at the service of reality to meet customer needs and prepare for the sustainable mobility of the future. The PEUGEOT Inception and the new generation Hypersquare steering wheel, two of the latest projects that have benefited from virtual reality tools, will be on display at the VivaTech exhibition, which will take place from May 22 to 25 in Paris.
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In 2004, Peugeot began using virtual reality in the development process of its new models. With the most modern facilities at the time just opened on 500 square metres in the heart of the ADN (Automotive Design Network), the new STELLANTIS design centre located in Velizy, near Paris.
Mathias Hussein, Peugeot Design Director: “The design profession has undergone a massive transformation in recent decades, and in just 20 years VR has become an essential tool in the daily lives of teams. It allows us to explore many creative avenues in a shorter period of time, so it is a great creative partner.
2004, the year the Design Centre opened, saw the birth of CAVE 1, the main virtual reality tool used by PEUGEOT. It is an immersive room made up of 5 projectors with a resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels, plus five fixed screens measuring 2.90 x 2.32 m. The whole thing forms a cubic room on the walls of which images are displayed. This creates an immersive 3D environment for users, where full-sized vehicles or items can be displayed realistically. CAVE 1 is a complementary design tool for physical modeling, used in the field of ergonomics and manufacturing operations. It makes projects easier to understand and share between different teams, speeds up their implementation, and provides new possibilities for making changes quickly.
Alongside CAVE 1 is the Holobench virtual reality table It consists of two screens, and transfers an element from the real world to virtual reality, with tactile perception. This brings another dimension to the user, with technology that gives him tactile feedback, allowing him to visualize the parts extracted from the digital model and simulate assembly/disassembly.
In 2015, Peugeot took it to the next level by introducing a new development in virtual reality: CAVE 2. This new immersive VR room, still anchored to the DNA, uses six 4K projectors (4096 x 2160 pixels) to project images onto 5 screen walls measuring 4.50 meters long, 2.37 meters high and 3.50 meters deep.
CAVE 2 delivers unprecedented computing power with 30 integrated PCs and 70 graphics cards. This power allows, for the first time, to work in greater depth on specific elements of exterior and interior design, such as colour and material combinations.
Since 2004, virtual reality has been used in the design of all new Peugeot models. It makes it possible to evaluate, modify and then quickly validate many elements of each project before moving on to physical prototypes, which are therefore produced in smaller quantities. The use of virtual reality has made it possible to reduce the number of physical prototypes produced, thus accelerating product development and saving over 3 million euros. But CAVE 2 does not only allow the development of vehicles, PEUGEOT stands at car shows and even the lion statue representing the brand has been visualized on its five walls.
CAVE 2 has contributed to the development of more than 3,000 projects over 10 years, including one of Peugeot's latest projects: the new generation Hypersquare steering wheel. This was presented and analyzed in its various iterations with the different teams involved in design, marketing and product, to contribute to its development.
The Inception Concept embodies Peugeot's optimistic vision for its future electric vehicles. With a cat design and a revolutionary interior featuring a new generation i-Cockpit. This interior includes the Hypersquare Steering Wheel, an innovative technology that transforms the driving experience and enjoyment by replacing the traditional steering wheel with digital electric controls.
Peugeot will present the Inception concept and its Hypersquare steering wheel to the French public for the first time at the VivaTech show to be held from May 22 to 25, 2024 in Paris.
PEUGEOT intends to remain a leader in the field of virtual reality and take advantage of all the opportunities offered by this technology to innovate further. Within DNA, the XR Lab is a structure dedicated to research in the field of virtual reality, and is part of the Technology Department of STELLANTIS.
Stefan Musverand, Head of VR Innovations (Technology Department): “The XR Lab is our research lab where we develop the latest technologies in virtual and augmented reality, and evaluate hardware and software solutions. This improves the efficiency of our engineering and allows us to be leaders in developing innovative approaches to delivering new products.”
Thanks to virtual reality and artificial intelligence, virtual worlds will be part of Peugeot's near future to meet customer needs. See you in the coming months to follow Peugeot's next steps in virtual worlds.
