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Panoramic i-Cockpit

September, 2023

4 minute read

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Panoramic i-Cockpit:

a spectacular design!

 

Reinventing the i-Cockpit concept that first appeared on the PEUGEOT 208 in 2012, before winning over more than 10 million motorists worldwide, is the challenge that this new generation, christened Panoramic i-Cockpit© and inaugurated on the new E-3008, must take up!

Panoramic i-Cockpit:

a spectacular design!

 

Reinventing the i-Cockpit concept that first appeared on the PEUGEOT 208 in 2012, before winning over more than 10 million motorists worldwide, is the challenge that this new generation, christened Panoramic i-Cockpit© and inaugurated on the new E-3008, must take up!

 

A challenge in the expert hands of the design team in charge of the project, with whom we spoke. With the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit now firmly in the minds of motorists, the ambition of Yann Beurel, Head of Design for the new E-3008, was "to offer the customer a new experience, to push the envelope further. We had to find the extra soul to reinvent this strong concept, to present it in a new way, while retaining its triptych of head-up display, large central screen and compact steering wheel". To achieve this, the designers quickly came up with a most ambitious idea: to combine the head-up display and the central screen into a large 21-inch high-definition panel that would appear to levitate in front of the driver. A feat of design in the automotive world.

A big idea, big challenges!

 

It may look simple, a levitating slab, but it represented a major challenge, continues Yann Beurel. His colleague Didier Aufort, in charge of Convergence and interior styling for the new E-3008, explains: "The use of extremely light and rigid materials such as magnesium was essential in order to support the weight of the screen, allow it to levitate and, above all, avoid any vibrations rising up into the screen, which would have disrupted its legibility." The total absence of a top cap, meanwhile, ensures "excellent display quality with excellent contrast and depth of blacks, while avoiding reflections". In addition to the particularly fine screen edges, this reduces the workload on the eyes between the display levels of the handset and the road, maximizing driving pleasure. Didier Aufort concludes: "All the teams were challenged and responded. When we proposed the idea, our engineers were initially surprised, but everyone agreed to move forward in this direction!"

A big idea, big challenges!

 

It may look simple, a levitating slab, but it represented a major challenge, continues Yann Beurel. His colleague Didier Aufort, in charge of Convergence and interior styling for the new E-3008, explains: "The use of extremely light and rigid materials such as magnesium was essential in order to support the weight of the screen, allow it to levitate and, above all, avoid any vibrations rising up into the screen, which would have disrupted its legibility." The total absence of a top cap, meanwhile, ensures "excellent display quality with excellent contrast and depth of blacks, while avoiding reflections". In addition to the particularly fine screen edges, this reduces the workload on the eyes between the display levels of the handset and the road, maximizing driving pleasure. Didier Aufort concludes: "All the teams were challenged and responded. When we proposed the idea, our engineers were initially surprised, but everyone agreed to move forward in this direction!"

Well-being on board

 

Between the curved, levitating 21-inch display and the absence of buttons on the upper part of the dashboard, this Panoramic i-Cockpit© offers a resolutely "technological" side. Designers Yann Beurel and Didier Aufort have thought of everything to balance this aspect and create a warm, welcoming interior: "We drew inspiration from the world of furniture, and in particular used textiles, which run the length of the dashboard right up to the doors. Finally, the front passenger has not been forgotten: "The hollowed-out center console on the passenger side offers space and access to storage. There's no cramped feeling. The overriding feeling is one of well-being and space on board. Passengers can still interact with the central screen, but also via a dedicated app to control various parameters such as air conditioning or radio.

Well-being on board

 

Between the curved, levitating 21-inch display and the absence of buttons on the upper part of the dashboard, this Panoramic i-Cockpit© offers a resolutely "technological" side. Designers Yann Beurel and Didier Aufort have thought of everything to balance this aspect and create a warm, welcoming interior: "We drew inspiration from the world of furniture, and in particular used textiles, which run the length of the dashboard right up to the doors. Finally, the front passenger has not been forgotten: "The hollowed-out center console on the passenger side offers space and access to storage. There's no cramped feeling. The overriding feeling is one of well-being and space on board. Passengers can still interact with the central screen, but also via a dedicated app to control various parameters such as air conditioning or radio.

The culmination of teamwork

 

After months of hard work, the time has come for Yann Beurel and his team to make their first discovery: "Discovering this Panoramic i-Cockpit© for the first time is a magical moment! Seeing this large slab come to life is very gratifying for the team who worked on it, as it's the culmination of months of hard work. When you start to look at a finished product, you tell yourself that it's a good thing you bothered everyone to get there! While at first it always seems as if you're coming up with unreasonable styling proposals, in reality that's what it takes to be at the right level by the time the vehicle is marketed. It's a challenge every time, but that's what motivates us every day, to push back the limits. We realise that what seemed improbable or even impossible is actually achievable, and that it's worth it!"

The culmination of teamwork

 

After months of hard work, the time has come for Yann Beurel and his team to make their first discovery: "Discovering this Panoramic i-Cockpit© for the first time is a magical moment! Seeing this large slab come to life is very gratifying for the team who worked on it, as it's the culmination of months of hard work. When you start to look at a finished product, you tell yourself that it's a good thing you bothered everyone to get there! While at first it always seems as if you're coming up with unreasonable styling proposals, in reality that's what it takes to be at the right level by the time the vehicle is marketed. It's a challenge every time, but that's what motivates us every day, to push back the limits. We realise that what seemed improbable or even impossible is actually achievable, and that it's worth it!"