Kia reveals its Futuron Concept SUV coupe

Kia Motors has revealed its new Futuron Concept at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. The Futuron Concept is an illuminating all-wheel drive SUV coupe which proposes new designs for future electric vehicles.

The Futuron Concept represents the modern and confident image of a progressive electric SUV coupe envisioned by Kia. The Futuron name itself is a portmanteau of 'future' and 'on', hinting at the switched-on, electric nature of future SUV designs from the brand.

The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia's 'tiger nose' grille, a signature for Kia design for over a decade. The newly designed front of the car, like that of the Imagine Concept first revealed earlier in 2019, expresses a new design interpretation for Kia's future electric vehicles.

The layout of the electric powertrain and incorporation of Level Four autonomous driving systems has enabled the creation of a spacious and flexible cabin unlike any other vehicle on the road. The two front seats are created out of flexible materials and can offer an upright driving position, or a reclined resting position, similar to the flexibility afforded to first-class airline passengers. With the activation of the Futuron's autonomous driving features, the two front seats recline as the steering wheel retracts, settling into a 'zero-gravity' seating position that helps to reduce fatigue on long journeys.

The Futuron's seamless interior also reflects its autonomous driving ability, with surfaces flowing uninterrupted from the dashboard and through the door panels.

One of the most prominent features of the cabin is the 'cockpit' area surrounding the driver. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the cockpit flows out of the driver-side door and wraps around the steering wheel in a seamless arc.

This merges the instrument cluster directly with the audio-visual display at the centre of the dashboard and is linked to the display integrated within the surface of the steering wheel itself.

The GUI is operated by artificial intelligence technologies, displaying useful information about the car various autonomous driving, powertrain and navigation features to create a unique user experience. The apex of the cockpit arc sees the GUI lunge forward towards the road, creating an interactive Star Cloud light display at the very front of the cabin.