Citroën 19_19 Concept – Comfort For a Future Generation of Lounge Lizzards.
As Citroën celebrates its centenary this year, the firm has so far tried to stake its image toward the future with some rather outlandish concept cars: First was the Ami One presented in Geneva, and now we have 19_19 Concept, a vehicle inspired by the aviation and design sectors.
Whether this vehicle is a whim or points the future of what Citroën’s competitors seem destined to copy each time the company shows a vehicle that is remarkably different, the 19_19 Concept shows that Citroën is into autonomous driving, and the future is all electric!
It will be will be revealed at VivaTech in Paris on May 16, 2019
Citroën’s designers have created innovative pod-like transportation to offer those on-board a “mental detox” that they claim “transforms the road to a voyage” – the term voyage meaning that all inside are passengers in a rejuvenating environment that is closer resembles being in hybrid mix of airline seat and psychiatrist couch.
Perched on huge 30-inch wheels with Goodyear (what no Michelin tires?), the Concept 19_19 is distinguished by its cabin-bubble seeming to hover over the road. Hydraulic suspension is back utilizing intelligent active control Progressive Stop Technology suspension so that at least harkens back to the technical innovation that the Citroën brand is noted for. And vintage Citroën badging, inside and out, tries to impress, upon young minds and old, the notable innovations of the company’s first century of existence.
With a long wheelbase of 3.10 m in length, 19_19 Concept cockpit offers a large space and is distinguished by its independent seats dressed in white leather (including a chaise lounge for the front passenger), an overhead dashboard and a retractable steering wheel. The advanced autonomous driving technology is combined with an intelligent personal assistant. A comfort finally accentuated by the silent movements of this 19_19 Concept, driven by a 100% electric group developing 462 hp and 800 Nm. Above all, it promises up to 800 km of autonomy thanks to its batteries with a capacity of 100 kWh. An ultra-fast recharge mode will deliver a 600 km range in just 20 minutes.
Citroën states that the 19_19 Concept is a worthy heir to the Xantia Activa, which was arguably their crowing achievement in hydractive suspension with its flat cornering. The Progressive Hydraulic Cushions on the 19_19 Concept (already available on New C4 Cactus and New C5 Aircross SUV) bring such active control to the suspension while delivering a magic carpet ride. The suspension actively reads the road to eliminate all jolts. The ultimate goal is to give passengers the impression of being totally disconnected from the road, the sense that they are flying over the surface without experiencing bumps, disturbances or exterior interference. The 19_19 Concept is suspended above the road with a pendular system (like a 2CV?) ensuring outstanding comfort for the passengers, regardless of their posture and activity during the trip, eliminating cornering sensations. The suspension system has been designed so that the wheels move relative to the cabin, which remains completely stable and movement-free, something Citroën hopes will be its prime distinguishing feature in a world of autonomous driving vehicles.
Two videos have been produced for its introduction:
DIMENSIONS
• Length: 4,655 mm
• Width: 2,240 mm
• Height: 1,600 mm
• Wheelbase: 3,100 mm
• Wheel diameter: 913 mm
• Goodyear tyres: 255/30 R30
If you would like to read the full hyperbole of Citroën’s press release, here it is:
CITROËN 19_19 CONCEPT, LE VOYAGE IN Ë-COMFORT MODE
May 13, 2019
• Following Ami One Concept revealed last February and embodying the urban electric mobility, Citroën is presenting 19_19 Concept, expressing Citroën’s vision of ultra-comfort and extended mobility to escape from the cities. Two electric concept cars responding to all the needs of the customers willing to be free to move, in a world asking for “always more”.
• A true Brand manifesto, 19_19 Concept is an unconventional expression lying outside traditional automotive cues; a technological aerodynamic object with exceptional proportions and a spectacular, suspended and transparent capsule design inspired by the world of aviation.
• The new concept car illustrates ultra-comfort at the service of tomorrow’s mobility,
◦ Through its design: a cabin designed as a true living room in its architecture and materials, plunging each occupant into a cocoon in which each seat is a unique experience of absolute comfort;
◦ Through its technologies: a full-electric concept car with a range of 800 km, a true magic carpet ride with a suspended cabin equipped with suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® combined with smart active control, and featuring autonomous driving technologies and a proactive personal assistant that interacts unprompted with the passengers, bringing each one a whole new experience of car travel.
• 19_19 Concept will be revealed as a World Premiere at VivaTech in Paris the 16 May 2019.“19_19 Concept is our technological and innovative vision of the automotive future. It conserves the fundamentals that have made Citroën what it is over the last 100 years, a Brand that listens to its customers and systematically focuses on human aspects, consistent with its ‘Inspired by You’ Brand signature. Design, creativity, comfort and innovation are and will remain central to Citroën’s DNA, as demonstrated by 19_19 Concept.”
Linda Jackson, CEO of Citroën
SYNTHESIS
To celebrate 100 years of boldness and creativity at the service of freedom of movement, Citroën was duty bound to present a spectacular object, a true UFO in the automotive sector. 19_19 Concept is a disruptive Citroën manifesto that rewrites the rulebook and illustrates a vision of mobility that is deliberately unconventional, future looking and constraint-free. Boasting exceptional proportions for the automotive segment, and inspired by the worlds of aviation and interior design, 19_19 Concept is immediately recognisable through its pure and streamlined shapes and its consummately worked technological details, and through the various ways in which it can be interpreted.
Taking comfort to a new level with a cabin constituting a true living room on wheels, 19_19 Concept pushes back the limits of the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme. The cabin is suspended on a new suspension system with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® combined with smart active control and features a unique layout informed by the world of furniture with individualised seats, each one expressing a vision of comfort. 19_19 Concept is also innovative and futuristic through its autonomous driving technology, drivers being able to entirely delegate driving. Strong on artificial intelligence, the concept car is equipped with a personal assistant built in to the dashboard that takes over control of the vehicle during autonomous driving phases and interacts with passengers via a predictive and proactive system that anticipates the needs of each occupant.
19_19 Concept reduces the carbon footprint, heightens in-car comfort through the absence of noise and vibration, and proves that electric drive trains are eminently compatible with long journeys with a range of up to 800 km, thanks to its 100% electric drive train. Created to offer a relaxed driving, the concept car charges via induction either at a halt or in motion where the infrastructure so permits.
19_19 Concept reinvents long car journeys by sketching out an approach to ultra-comfort bringing occupants regenerative and restorative travel. The vehicle stands as a modern approach to design and technology that fosters a new automotive experience. Occupants enjoy a true “mental detox” experience for maximum travelling pleasure, enjoying total relaxation, calm and well-being.
19_19 Concept is the ultimate Citroën take on tomorrow’s car travel, inspired by a desire for liberated and restorative mobility.
- EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN
19_19 Concept is largely inspired by aviation, a field in which aerodynamics and attention to detail are of prime importance. On the first gaze, 19_19 Concept stands out through its utterly original body styling – powerful and magnetic – that can be interpreted in several different ways. The design language is new and hyper-expressive, rewriting the traditional codes of autonomous electric cars. The exterior design of 19_19 Concept can be broken down into several layers: a fully-glazed suspended cabin; oversized wheels; and a subframe showcasing the electric drive train and suspension.
A. EXTRAORDINARY BODY STYLING
• A SUSPENDED TRANSPARENT CAPSULE
AN EXTRAORDINARILY DESIGNED CAPSULE, AERONAUTIC AND AERODYNAMIC
The exceptional body design of 19_19 Concept resembles the fuselage of an aircraft and the transparent bubble of a helicopter. The capsule levitates above four “Super Tall and Narrow” wheels, promising the comfort of a magic carpet ride, with the passengers borne along by a car that appears to fly over the road. Boasting a powerful and authoritative road stance with the four wheels set squarely on the far corners of the body, 19_19 Concept impresses with its lengthy, 3.10 m wheelbase that makes room for an oversized battery. The cabin appears to float above the four wheels, the suspension forming the interface and link between the cabin and the wheels. The concept car features an innovative suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® and a smart active control system, Citroën having always sought to make its cars “magic carpets”. The suspension system is visible and signified, showcased within the cabin.
WELCOME SCREEN ON THE DOORS
The curvaceous cabin boasts original proportions, broadening in the elbow and shoulder area to accommodate passengers in the best possible conditions. The design of the extremely wide glazed bubble, inspired by the world of aviation, initiates the base of an “aeroplane wing” on each side, underscoring the sense of robustness, breadth and aerodynamics. The side includes a black panel that blends into the front door, which serves as a welcome interface for motorists approaching the vehicle. The car acts as a true personal assistant, recognising the driver, welcoming them and interacting with them through the black panel displaying animated graphic messages, for example illustrating the locking and unlocking of the doors.
TRANSPARENCY AND COLOUR CONTRASTS
The glazed area at the front is grey-tinted so that passengers can see and be seen at mid-height. At the rear, blue micro-perforated trim safeguards the privacy of passengers, who can see while not being seen. The experiences in rows one and two are different, highlighted by two emphatically different colours, black at the front and blue at the rear. 19_19 Concept draws on the Brand’s heritage with its vivid and deep “Rosalie Blue” colour, a nod to the Petite Rosalie. The luminous and almost electric hue is anodised, unvarnished, technological and futuristic.
• “SUPER TALL & NARROW” WHEELS DEVELOPED BY GOODYEAR
ILLUSION OF CONTINUITY BETWEEN WHEEL AND TYRE
The wheels were designed and developed in partnership with Goodyear, whose badge graces each tyre. The oversized 30-inch wheels, with a diameter of 930 mm and shod with 255/30 R 30 tyres, have an exceptional, revolutionary design. The wheels are extraordinary through their dimensions and through their design with innovative technologies and a design inspired by gear cogs, features at the root of the Citroën logo. A wheel generally comprises a rim and a tyre, but the wheels on 19_19 Concept are hybrid. The Goodyear teams were set the challenge of creating seamless continuity between the rim and the tyre, plunging 19_19 Concept into a futuristic world beyond traditional automotive bounds and giving the impression of a vehicle moving forward on independent spheres.
ACOUSTIC COMFORT AND FILTRATION COMFORT
The tyre and wheel rim appear to constitute a single whole. The rubber extends over the rims to create a perfectly integrated and entirely unique whole, while also enhancing acoustic comfort. Sitting above the wheels and forming a seamless whole with them, the wings, both separate from the body and integrated in the wheels, give the impression that the wheels are independent from the body. The cabin appears to be set on four spheres, completely isolating it from the road. Developed specifically by Goodyear for 19_19 Concept, the wheels significantly contribute to the ride comfort delivered by the concept car.
FIXED-HUB CENTENARY LOGO
In a further hypnotic wheel design feature, the fixed-hub centenary logo remains horizontal even when the wheels are turning, displaying the Citroën Origins logo even when the car is in motion. This is another nod to the Brand’s history, namely the famous swan symbolising the floating engine integrated since the Rosalie. The fixed-hub centenary logo strengthens the imperturbable appearance of the vehicle, which appears to fly above the road.
B. AERODYNAMIC DESIGN AND CONSUMMATELY WORKED TECHNOLOGICAL DETAILS
Considerable work went into the aerodynamics of 19_19 Concept. Citroën’s legendary models, including the DS, CX and XM, were known for their impressive aerodynamic qualities. This quest for optimal aerodynamics is a powerful source of inspiration in the styling language of 19_19 Concept. The objective was to achieve maximum grip and minimum drag through optimised air flow around the body, which is set high above the ground.
• TECHNOLOGICAL, DESTRUCTURED AND FUTURISTIC FRONT END
TRANSPARENCY AND TECHNOLOGY
The extraordinary new concept car 19_19 Concept features a transparent double bonnet that channels a current of air towards the windscreen, further enhancing aerodynamics. The short upper bonnet serves as a spoiler and as a medium for the light signature, in the form of two lines of light in a “Y shape”, consistent with the Brand’s most recent concept cars, CXperience and Ami One Concept. 19_19 Concept sports a new full LED light signature partition featuring the chevrons, in the shape of a geometric double notch. The upper light line constitutes the entire extremity of the upper bonnet, forming its frontal rib, while the lower light line constitutes the extremity of the lower bonnet. The new staging of the chevrons and the technological and floating light signature replaces the conventional chrome strips.
An all-new styling approach fostering greater functionality, the glazed bubble of the interior is visible under the double bonnet, revealing the cabin. From the cabin, passengers will be able to watch the road go by beneath their feet. The upper bonnet is fitted with reversing cameras on its rear extremities.
STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS SHOWCASED
19_19 Concept rewrites the automotive rulebook by deliberately revealing its technical workings, traditionally concealed by the bumper and bonnet. In addition to the glazed surface that connects the outside with the inside, the concept car’s suspension system is magnified and given a technological approach, the radars and sensors enabling the car to operate autonomously. The entire structure of the suspension, wheels and inner wings is designed with striations featuring Citroën’s emblematic chevrons, a special touch introduced on Ami One Concept. This emphatic design choice makes the front end even more expressive, lending it greater personality and clearly setting it apart from classic automotive production.
• TECHNOLOGICAL REAR END CONSISTENT WITH THE FRONT END
COHERENT SIGNATURE
The rear end echoes the front end with the same characteristics, including the tailgate bubble, aerodynamic subframe and light signature. In a nod to some of the Brand’s legendary models such as the Ami 6, CX and, more recently, C5 and C6, the rear window on 19_19 Concept is concave. Completely consistent with the front, the rear houses the same light signature, with two LED light lines forming a “Y” including the chevrons, reinforcing the vehicle’s stance and constituting an aerodynamic spoiler.
TECHNOLOGICAL SHOWCASE ON THE ROOF
The purely styled roof is surmounted by two LIDAR laser-detection measurement systems positioned above the rear passengers. Resembling a twin tailplane, the LIDARs are made to deliberately stand out and are entirely separate from the body. As in the aviation sector, they work in sets of two; the function is redundant for greater security.
C. A SUBFRAME EMPHASISING THE FULLY-ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY
The closer you get to the concept car, the more the details become important. While generally hidden on other cars, the technical components and technological details on 19_19 Concept are highlighted. They are showcased and worked aviation-style, isolated and each with its own function. 19_19 Concept is a pure bubble but the technical components are deliberately visible. The vehicle’s technologies are thus practically in raw state and visually staged, such as the light diodes indicating the activation of the various technical components relating to the electric drive train and the autonomous driving functions.
The subframe on 19_19 Concept was designed like a skateboard, as a deliberately visible technical platform home to the electric batteries and all the technical components. Fully streamlined, the subframe comprises aerodynamic appendices and piping to optimise air flow, as well as an array of sensors and radars useful to the operation of the vehicle. At the rear, under the cabin, the stem shape enhances aerodynamics by closing the air flow, inspired by the rudder of an aeroplane.
In a reference to Citroën’s French roots, the subframe features three coloured lines forming the French flag. All the technical components are finished in black, either matte or gloss, the function being underlined by the contrast.
“With 19_19 Concept, we sought to rewrite the automotive rule book with a high-impact vehicle featuring a strong and powerful design inspired by the world of aviation. As an aerodynamic and technological comfort bubble floating above the road, 19_19 Concept showcases details like the new-generation light signatures, the aerodynamic appendices and the wheels developed by Goodyear.”
Pierre Leclercq, Head of Citroën Design
- TAKING COMFORT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
A. INTERIOR DESIGNED AS A LIVING ROOM
19_19 Concept takes comfort to a whole new level by making the cabin a true living room. In a certain respect, the cabin is an extension of the passenger’s home, a place where they feel just as comfortable and relaxed, in an atmosphere of silence and calm.
The living room theme is magnified. A dream living room is a collection of beautiful objects, a unique ensemble of different objects, different materials and sometimes different styles. As in a living room, comprising a sofa, a chaise longue, ottomans, reading armchairs and furniture separating several spaces, each seat in the cabin is special and offers a different experience and different postural comfort according to the desires of the occupants. The cabin offers several ways of experiencing the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, the occupants entering different dimensions depending on the seat.
The Citroën teams designed a vehicle providing them with a lofty point of view. Passengers feel like they are flying over the road with no constraints, taking mastery of the road as soon as they enter the cabin. The rear-hinged autoclave doors, pillar-free, afford exceptional cabin access, with easy seating and exits for the occupants. The height of the eyes relative to the road is similar to that of a modern SUV. Passenger comfort is substantially boosted by visibility, posture and easy cabin access.
The 19_19 Concept cabin is made up of pure and clear geometric shapes with no embellishments. Boasting deep and warm colours, with a base of blue and red, similar to Ami One Concept, the cabin finish varies between blue, red and purple through the use of 3D mesh. The same fabric is used throughout the cabin on different scales, from the floor to the ceiling.
• A WORLD UNTO EACH SEAT FOR BESPOKE COMFORT
INDIVIDUALISED SOLUTION FOR EACH PASSENGER
Each seat has been designed to provide a unique and individualised experience, with each passenger choosing their own travel experience. Travel is no longer a constraint but a time for pleasure. Occupants are at home in their vehicle and appreciate spending time there, enjoying a restful moment of well-being or using their time rather than wasting it. Whether family, friends, colleagues or carpoolers, passengers travel together with the possibility of remaining in their “bubble” or interacting. This is a new kind of car travel. The time when the driver had pride of place in the cabin is over. All the passengers now have a special seat that responds to the desires of all occupants, who have the comfort of being able to choose their own comfort. The onboard experience is fully customised. 19_19 Concept passengers can read a book or magazine, play a video game, order a meal, listen to and share music, and watch a film. And they can even drive if the driver is OK with it!
DRIVERS’S SEAT: COMFORT AND SUPPORT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
The driver’s seat is dedicated to driving, a hyper-intuitive experience with simplified controls. For a comfortable and pleasant drive, the driver’s seat has a raw, protective structure home to a soft and enveloping ultra-comfort seat, like a broad and thick cushion grafted on to the structure. In a contemporary note, the back of the seat and the oversized and sonified head rest are scooped out. With the driver comfortably settled in, the vehicle simplifies their experience with a head-up display through the windscreen with augmented reality, providing them with all the information required for complete peace of mind at the wheel.
THE CHAISE LONGUE, A SPECIAL SEAT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER
The front passenger seat is dedicated to travel and relaxation, deeply imbued with serenity and harmony. Semi-reclined, the passenger can concentrate on all sorts of non-road related activities, as in a business class seat on a long-haul flight. The passenger can enjoy the trip with all-new postural comfort for the automotive sector, relaxing, stretching out their legs and experiencing home-like comfort on lengthy journeys. Equipped with a motorised lifting foot rest, in a nod to the “Relax” passenger seat with extended comfort on C4 SpaceTourer, the chaise longue takes things even further through its fully furniture-inspired design. Citroën has rewritten the rules and moved outside the automotive world, equipping the seat with a cylindrical and sonified head rest fitted with a buttress on the back. An iconic and symbolic seat in the cabin, the chaise longue is upholstered in the same material as the rest of the cabin but in a special colour, white blended with grey.
REAR SOFA WITH SUNDECK-INSPIRED DESIGN
Rear-seat passengers are equally cosseted, with seats forming a sofa extending back to the boot, like the sundeck of a Riva boat. All the components – seats and seat backs, ceiling and boot – are upholstered in the same material, as in an alcove, offering a true blanket of comfort that is warm, intimate and energising. Passengers can rest their heads on a hammock-style trellis of red elastic fabrics laid out in a chevron shape, having stored their personal affairs easily in the boot. The rear-seat sofa is a true cocoon, a cosy corner featuring its own sound bubble, to isolate passengers who so desire from those in the front. The cocoon spirit is underscored by the micro-perforated trim covering the rear area, enabling occupants to see outside but not be seen. Rear-seat passengers benefit from ideal cabin luminosity in all circumstances thanks to reading lights set above their heads. The reading lights extend downwards from the exterior LIDARs, magnifying and showcasing the technological content.
• A CABIN THAT PUSHES THE LIMITS OF AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
The 19_19 Concept cabin is designed as a true living room on wheels. Each traditional automotive component has been reworked in a spirit of absolute travelling comfort. The rules have been rewritten, the deck reshuffled. The time spent in a car is now a time for true rest and relaxation.
THE DASHBOARD: AERIAL AND ENTERTAINING
The dashboard on 19_19 Concept is pure and ultra-simplified, serving to showcase the steering wheel and the personal assistant. The borderless glazed area under the dashboard can be transformed into a film projection screen for the pleasure and entertainment of the passengers. Smooth and flat, it faces the passengers and establishes continuity between the exterior and interior. Floating and open to create an expansive view of the exterior, it features a fully transparent glazed area on its lower section. The work on suspension and the road running buy are thus visible from the cabin, below the dashboard, giving occupants the impression of hovering over the road as in a helicopter. The crosswise cloth upholstery further heightens this impression, featuring throughout the cabin with no interruptions, like a magic carpet. The more technological areas, free of upholstery, are finished in a macro-texture in a chevron pattern that enlivens and lends extra character while echoing the exterior by underscoring the formal and graphic continuity between the exterior and interior on both sides of the glazed bubble.
THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT: AN ANIMATED AND COLOURFUL CYLINDRICAL OBJECT
The purely styled dashboard also showcases the personal assistant, an animated and graphic cylindrical object that slides vertically above and below the dashboard depending on the driving mode selected. As decorative as it is interactive, naturally establishing contact with the driver and passengers, the personal assistant is an integral part of the cabin furniture and becomes something of a fifth passenger on board.
THE STEERING WHEEL: A RETRACTABLE DESIGN OBJECT AND A NOD TO HISTORY
The steering wheel remains present so that the driver can take back control of the vehicle where necessary, as 19_19 Concept can drive autonomously without any supervision of the driver. It can be retracted in autonomous driving mode, as can the pedal set. This provides drivers with extra room, so that they can relax and take advantage of the journey. The steering wheel is original in terms of its shape. It is a floating object, an utterly fresh take on the classic single-spoked Citroën steering wheel. The spoke here is set higher up, enabling drivers to move their hands around the entire wheel without obstructing the lower part. The steering wheel is also original in terms of its materials. It consists of a marble-like mineral resin, warm to the touch, for an original, high-end and authentic appearance. In the centre, a screen featuring an animated display of the chevrons having constituted the successive generations of the Citroën logo links up the past and the future. The screen is monostable, the chevrons remaining horizontal when the wheel turns, in a nod to Citroën’s inimitable fixed-hub steering wheels. To comply with rules on driver distraction, the chevron animation stops when the vehicle begins to move.
DOORS AND STORAGE SPACES DESIGNED AS PRACTICAL AND INGENIOUS CABIN FURNITURE
The doors are rear-hinged on both sides of the vehicle, providing optimal cabin access for all passengers thanks to the absence of a B-pillar. The doors feature pure and light styling to air the cabin and highlight the different experiences. They have the same upholstery as the rest of the cabin, strengthening the cocoon aspect, while the storage spaces on the doors and central console have special finishes that contrast with the rest of the interior through their material and shape. Finished in the same warm and robust mineral material as the steering wheel, the central console and the door storage spaces are pure, solid, strong and graphic objects. They comprise large red storage slits for exhibiting stylish objects such as journals, magazines or works of art, as in a real living room, and are also adorned with the Origins logo in a celebration of the Brand’s centenary year.
SOUND COMFORT FOR BUBBLE-LIKE TRAVEL
The acoustics and sound comfort of the cabin were designed to enable each passenger to benefit from their own intimate area, their own customised “sound bubble”. The vehicle’s mapping enables messages issued by the vehicle to be sent directly to the person concerned without disturbing the other occupants, while the zoning enables the complete individualisation of content, each passenger being independent of the others with no mutual disturbances.
EXCEPTIONAL LIGHT
The entirely glazed cabin is a light-filled cocoon providing exceptional visibility in all directions and for all passengers. Passengers forget about the panoramic glazed capsule and experience the outside world to the full, able to star gaze in complete relaxation, comfortable installed in the posture of their choice. Downwards visibility is also boosted, with the road running by beneath the feet of the front passengers, helicopter-style, and lateral low visibility as well, thanks to the glazed lower part of the doors.
B. A TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECT DEDICATED TO COMFORT
The Citroën Advanced Comfort® is a modern and innovative approach of comfort seeking for a 360° comfort. It is an essential part of the Brand’s strategy. It includes all the features of the comfort, from the driving comfort to the mind comfort, in order to create a pleasant and relaxed driving.
• CABIN SUSPENDED THROUGH SPECIAL SUSPENSION AND GOODYEAR TYRES
A NEW STEP FORWARD FOR SUSPENSION WITH PROGRESSIVE HYDRAULIC CUSHIONS®
If there is any one brand that has pushed back the limits of suspensions by constantly innovating to bring its customers more comfort, then that brand is Citroën. Suspension plays a key role in absorbing shocks, keeping the vehicle body stable and ensuring overall comfort.
19_19 Concept is the logical culmination of 100 years of suspension comfort. A worthy heir to Xantia Activa, which took corners on the level, 19_19 Concept is equipped with a smart and actively controlled suspension system that brings occupants a magic carpet ride. The suspension actively reads the road to eliminate all jolts, supplementing the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® system already available on New C4 Cactus and New C5 Aircross SUV. The ultimate goal is to give passengers the impression of being totally disconnected from the road, the sense that they are flying over the surface without experiencing bumps, disturbances or exterior interference. 19_19 Concept is suspended above the road with a pendular system ensuring outstanding comfort for the passengers, regardless of their posture and activity during the trip, eliminating cornering sensations. The suspension system has been designed so that the wheels move relative to the cabin, which remains completely stable and movement-free. The passengers are thus entirely removed from the road and the outside world, ensconced in a bubble of comfort and able to fully enjoy the new experience afforded by autonomous driving.
COMFORT-ENHANCING TYRES
Suspension comfort also stems from the wheels and tyres, which play a major role as they form the sole link with the road. The wheels mounted on tyres developed by Goodyear boost comfort through their ingenious and innovative design. The tyres are predictive, feeling the road and weather conditions thanks to a system of smart sensors that assist the autonomous driving control systems by transmitting an array of data. This enables 19_19 Concept to determine the optimal autonomous driving mode, with an impact on speed, braking, roadholding and stability. The tyres were designed to isolate occupants from external noises, particularly road noise. With its porous texture that absorbs impact and reduces noise like a natural sponge, the tread acts as a padded filter between the road and the cabin and as a noise-blocking wall.
• AN INTUITIVE AND PROACTIVE ASSISTANT
Comfort on board 19_19 Concept goes beyond suspension, seat and acoustic comfort. It is also ensured through intuitive and proactive technology that reassures passengers and makes journeys peaceful, serene or fun, as desired, thanks to a proactive Personal Assistant equipped with artificial intelligence, created to improve in-car comfort. Extremely pure to further shaking up conventional automotive cues, the cabin without any touchscreen or button, the cabin of 19_19 Concept is home to projection and information areas that fully honour the Citroën heritage, as well as welcome screens on the doors. The Personal Assistant anticipates the needs of occupants, proposing actions even before the passengers express their needs. Substantially reducing the number of interactions required by passengers with the vehicle, the personal assistant is the true brain and nervous centre of 19_19 Concept. The proactive and predictive personal assistant can propose alternatives to the initial route, detours to visit points of interest based on browsing history, breaks in pleasant nearby locations, and renowned restaurants in the surrounding area.
The personal assistant has two positions on the dashboard. When the driver is driving, the personal assistant is located on the lower section, under the dashboard, in support mode. It remains active and proactive but does not take control of driving. The driver may not have visual contact with the rear-projection area, in compliance with driver distraction rules and to ensure a completely safe drive. In this mode, the projection area on the dashboard is reserved exclusively for passengers, who can relax with a film. In autonomous mode, the steering wheel, pedal set and steering wheel column retract, the driver’s seat moves backwards to provide more leg room, and the personal assistant slides up the dashboard to take control. It thus becomes the vehicle supervisor and frees up the projection area under the dashboard for all occupants, including the driver, whose role switches to that of a passenger in autonomous mode.
• VOICE RECOGNITION WITH NATURAL LANGUAGE BY SOUNDHOUND INC.
A simple sentence suffices to interact with the vehicle, select a playlist, activate a film, video game or app, adjust the cabin temperature and lighting, make a phone call or send a message. A cylindrical totem reigning over the dashboard, the personal assistant enters into contact with the driver. The system is equipped with voice recognition via natural language developed by SoundHound Inc., a Silicon Valley start-up and strategic partner of the PSA Group. This technology, to be fit on new PSA Group models and future Citroën models, is based on “deep meaning understanding” technology, the only technology able to respond instantly to several questions asked in a single sentence, as a human being would. “Deep meaning understanding” technology provides the fastest voice recognition in the world and perfectly understands natural language, in some 40 languages.
When occupants call on the function by saying “Hello Citroën”, the system’s colourful interface lights up with a vertical image consisting of blue, red and white colours (in harmony with the cabin tones) and a clear and pure font. When the personal assistant is “thinking” and speaking, the screen displays graphic animations, establishing visual contact with passengers.
• ALL-NEW DRIVING EASE
19_19 Concept was created to make driving easier in all driving conditions. Equipped with advanced autonomous driving technologies, 19_19 Concept can take over and manage vehicle control automatically, enabling drivers to get on with other, non-driving related occupations. But when the driver takes back control, because the road infrastructure so requires or because they simply want to enjoy the driving experience, the system was designed to make driving easier and bring drivers greater safety and peace of mind. Both driving modes offer the driver and passengers total serenity, reducing their mental load so that they can take full advantage of their journeys, talking, laughing, relaxing and arriving at their destination in top form, with no stress and in complete freedom.
HEAD-UP DISPLAY AND AUGMENTED REALITY
With its ultra-pure dashboard, 19_19 Concept displays all driving information not on a digital screen or an instrument cluster in front of the driver but in the driver’s field of vision, using an advanced head-up display system through the windscreen, as seen on fighter planes and in a nod to the system available on C6. The display assists drivers with augmented reality functions, providing the most relevant information in the best place. For example, it projects navigation data directly on to the road, with arrows showing the route more clearly, along with one-way streets and any dangers to be avoided.
AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
A true expression of the near future of the automobile, 19_19 Concept takes over certain driving phases, including on motorways or in traffic jams, the vehicle takes over control. Drivers can let themselves be driven entirely by the vehicle in complete safety. The driver can take back control whenever they like, for example to fully enjoy the at-the-wheel experience. They may be required to do so in certain more complex situations, such as traffic in obstacle-packed city centres.
19_19 Concept is a vehicle you can drive yourself or be driven in, autonomously. The driver decides when to delegate driving so that they can relax and take full advantage of the journey. The controls remain fully accessible via voice recognition thanks to the interaction of the personal assistant with all the passengers. Occupants can thus continue their journey in peace of mind, relaxed and with no constraints or limits. The driver no longer needs to supervise the road and can take advantage of the travel time.
THE BEST OF ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY FOR LIMITLESS MOBILITY
Futuristic and forward-looking yet realistic, 19_19 Concept is powered by an all-electric drive train fully consistent with Citroën’s strategy to contribute to the energy transition. 19_19 is powerful and fleet, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in five seconds and reaching a top speed of 200 km/h. Fuelled by 100 kWh batteries, the 4WD drive train comprising two motors (one at the front, one at the rear) develops torque of 800 Nm for power of 340 kW. The vehicle has a range of 800 km under the WLTP protocol, for freedom of movement without constraints.
For even greater comfort in use, 19_19 Concept features quick charging technology (with 600 km of range recovered in 20 minutes). For trouble- and cable-free charging, 19_19 Concept is equipped with an induction charging system whereby the batteries are able to charge directly while driving where the road infrastructure so permits. 19_19 Concept is adapted to all types of journeys, be it a trip to the country, holidays in the mountains or a weekend by the sea. Breaking with the trend of electric vehicles offering limited range, 19_19 Concept fully opens up new possibilities.
“The year of its 100th anniversary, Citroën is projecting into the future two of its key genes, still writing today’s range success: bold design and 21st century comfort – the Advanced Comfort, through in particular 4 seats featuring their own individual universes, all-electric drive train, a proactive personal assistant and autonomous driving technologies.”
Xavier Peugeot, Head of Citroën Product
CITROËN DESIGN TEAM
• Head of Advanced Phase Exterior Design: Frédéric Duvernier
• Exterior Design: Romain Gauvin
• Head of Advanced Phase Interior Design: Jean-Arthur Madelaine-Advenier
• Interior Design: Raphaël Le Masson, Jérémy Lebonnois
• Color & Trim Design: Hélène Veilleux, Aude Renon
• HMI Design : Nicolas Michel, Dominique Liegey
