After the 2018 ID. Vizzion and the 2022 ID. Aero concepts, Volkswagen previewed its global electric sedan in near-production guise earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The final version will break cover in the second quarter of the year when the nifty light-up digital camo will come off. To ease the wait, the Wolfsburg-based automaker is detailing the smart air vent technology debuting with the upcoming ID.7.
The quick-reacting air conditioning premiering with the first MEB-based electric sedan from VW automatically starts once the key is detected, even before entering the car. It begins to blow cold air on a hot day and vice versa if the door is opened, distributing air "quickly over a large area by means of dynamic horizontal movements." Once the passengers are seated, the airflow can be redirected to the body or to another area.
Volkswagen ID.7 EV Prototype
The ID.7 will boast a new 15-inch infotainment with enough screen real estate to always have a shortcut to the climate control function. Those smart air vents are controlled digitally in the sense you'll have to use the large display to adjust the direction and intensity of the airflow. Changing the temperature is done by using the illuminated touch sliders mounted below the screen.
Alternatively, voice controls can be used to change the settings. For example, drivers will be able to say things like "Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold," after which warm air will be directed to the steering wheel for approximately five minutes. In addition, the heated steering wheel function will be activated. Should the ID.7 be driven by several people, individual user preferences are going to be available to eliminate the hassle of having to tweak the settings every time a different person hops inside the car.
The ID.7 will mark another premiere for a VW as it'll be the first model with an air conditioning system able to react to climatic surroundings. Courtesy of a sensor embedded into the windscreen, it can detect the incident angle of the sunlight in conditions with high outside temperatures and high solar intensity. If the sun shines strongly onto just one side of the vehicle, the AC will automatically begin to blow more cold air to the warmer zone.
Europe and China will be the first markets to get the VW ID.7 later this year, with the United States to follow in 2024. The ID. lineup expansion is far from being over as an Atlas-sized ID.8 SUV is planned, along with an entry-level, front-wheel-drive model likely badged as an ID.1 or ID.2.
