Hyundai and LG imagine an Ioniq interior that serves drinks and cleans itself
With space-saving electric powertrains becoming more common, and the prospect of autonomous driving seeming more possible, many automakers have been considering what a car interior may be like in the future. A common idea is to make it like a living room or like your house, and that's the take Hyundai and LG Electronics have chosen for this Ioniq interior.
The companies specifically emphasize how this interior is made possible by electric powertrains that offer more packaging flexibility. This is also why it has been branded as an Ioniq interior, since Ioniq will be Hyundai's EV brand. The interior is spacious and airy, in part thanks to the light colors and large windows. The design is somewhat nifty with the wood floor and ambient lighting, but it's the gizmos that really set it apart.
Immediately obvious is the TV in the ceiling. It's a 77-inch flexible OLED LG screen, and it can change its curve and position for better viewing. This is done via gesture controls. The screen can also display two different things for each passenger. The center console houses a single-serving coffee maker between the seats, and closer to the floor is a slide out refrigerator drawer for drinks and snacks. On either side of the refrigerator are compartments for clothes. One is for shoes that helps dry them out and freshen them, and the other is for dress shirts and pants and the compartment can apparently help remove wrinkles. Finally, when the passengers leave, an automated sweeper panel slides across the floor to remove spills and crumbs, and UV lights illuminate to disinfect cabin surfaces.
While the companies didn't mention anything about autonomy, it's obvious this would be a nice cabin for an autonomous car, since it would provide plenty of entertainment for occupants that don't need to watch the road. Of course, it would also be great for chauffeured car. And the cleaning equipment would make loads of sense of vehicles used in car sharing or ride sharing services, since it would help ensure a reasonably pleasant place for the next users or riders.
Hyundai says it will "offer such value-added experiences starting with Ioniq 5," in reference to this concept interior's features. We somehow doubt many of these features will actually be available, except maybe some kind of cooler or mini-fridge option, especially since the Ioniq 5 will be the brand's entry-level car based on the Hyundai 45 concept. But, Hyundai could prove us wrong. We'll know for sure when the car launches early next year.
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