PEUGEOT celebrates 20 years of Virtual Reality

Rüsselsheim am Main, April 26, 2024. PEUGEOT has been working with virtual reality for 20 years to drive innovation faster and more efficiently. For two decades, PEUGEOT has been using the virtual world to serve the real world, meet customer needs and prepare for tomorrow’s sustainable mobility. The PEUGEOT Inception concept car and Hypersquare Control, two recent projects that have benefited from virtual reality technology, will be presented at the VivaTech trade fair, taking place in Paris from May 22 to 25, 2024.

Anyone interested can find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AKKgA4gus

Back in 2004, PEUGEOT started using virtual reality tools in the development process of its new modelsand high quality equipment only 500 m² a large room at the heart of the ADN (Automotive Design Network), the Stellantis design center in Vélizy near Paris.

Matthias Hossmann, PEUGEOT Design Director: “The design profession has changed a lot in the last few decades and for the last 20 years, virtual reality has become an important tool in the daily life of our teams. This tool allows us to explore more creative paths in less time. It is a great partner in creation.”

In 2004, the year the design center opened, CAVE 1, the main virtual reality tool used by PEUGEOT, was born.; an immersive space consisting of 5 projectors with a resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels, as well as five permanent screens of 2.90 x 2.32 m The set created a cubic room with images arranged on each wall. This created an immersive 3D environment for the user where vehicles or components could be displayed realistically in their original size. CAVE 1 provided a design tool that helps in the areas of ergonomics and manufacturing processes before the actual designs are animated. It made projects easier to understand and share between different teams, providing faster implementation and new opportunities for rapid change.

Next to CAVE 1 was the Holobench, a virtual reality table consisting of two screens, an element of the real world into virtual reality that was supported by haptic feedback. This gave the user another dimension: dynamic feedback technology enabled the visualization of parts extracted from the digital model and the simulation of assemblies or disassemblies.

In 2015, PEUGEOT went the next step and launched a new development in the field of virtual reality: CAVE 2.. This new immersive virtual reality space is still installed today at the heart of ADN and is used by several STELLANTIS brands. Six 4K projectors (4096 x 2160 pixels) create images on 5 screens with a width of 4.50 meters, a height of 2.37 meters and a depth of 3.50 meters.

CAVE 2 offers unprecedented computing power thanks to 30 computers with 70 graphics cards. This computer power makes it possible for the first time to work on more specific details of the exterior and interior design, such as: B. Panels and color combinations.

Since 2004, realism has been used in the development of all new PEUGEOT models. It allows rapid evaluation, modification and verification of various aspects of each project before physical prototypes are made, which are produced in small quantities. Fewer physical models mean time and cost savings. Since the introduction of virtual reality for this analysis, Stellantis brands have saved more than 3 million euros. But they are not the only cars being tested in the CAVE 2, the exhibition grounds and even the lion statue representing PEUGEOT has also passed through these 5 walls.

More than 3,000 projects have been developed in CAVE 2 in the last 10 years, including one of PEUGEOT’s latest projects: Hypersquare Control. This was presented and tested in various iterations, with teams from design, marketing and product contributing to its development.

The PEUGEOT Launch Concept embodies PEUGEOT’s vision for its future electric vehicles. with a cat-like design and a revolutionary interior that includes the new generation PEUGEOT i-Cockpit®. The latest Hypersquare Steering, a ground-breaking technology that transforms the driving experience and comfort by replacing the traditional steering wheel with electronic digital control.

PEUGEOT will present for the first time the PEUGEOT Launch Concept and its Hypersquare flagship at the VivaTech trade fair, taking place in Paris from May 22 to 25, 2024.

PEUGEOT wants to continue to be a leader in virtual reality and use all the possibilities of this technology to advance innovation and push the boundaries of what is possible. Within ADN is the XR lab, which is part of Stellantis’ technical department.

Stéphane Masfrand, Head of VR Design (Tech Division): “The XR Lab is our research lab where we develop cutting-edge technologies in the field of virtual and augmented reality and test hardware and software solutions. This increases our technical efficiency and allows us to explore innovative ways to deliver new products.”

Thanks to virtual reality and artificial intelligence, the virtual world will continue to play a role for PEUGEOT in the future to meet customer needs.

CONTACT US

Waves of silk
Head of media and public relations
Phone: +49 1525 6600832
Mail: silke.ripplinger@peugeot.com