Peugeot Traveller i-Lab gets Geneva motor show debut

The Peugeot Traveller i-Lab has made its debut at the Geneva motor show, alongside its standard Traveller sibling.

The standard Traveller is another PSA-Toyota collaboration, and is the sister car to the Citroën Spacetourer and Toyota Proace van-based MPVs.

Where the Citroën Spacetourer Hyphen concept focuses on rugged, SUV-like ability, the Traveller i-Lab is pitched as a VIP 3.0 shuttle, loaded with technology, including a 32in adjustable touchscreen tablet, WiFi hotspot, Cloud access, induction charging stations and virtual reality headset.

Driver aids comprising a next-generation 3D navigation system, road sign recognition and a system that monitors the attention of the driver are also included, in addition to a high-end bird's eye view camera system and autonomous emergency braking; these last two items are sure to make it onto the production Traveller. Passenger convenience features such as ‘remote hotel check-in and check out, payment, virtual visit’ and hands-free sliding doors operated by waving your foot under the door are also featured on the concept.

The soundproofing is also optimised in the Traveller i-Lab, to support the 17-speaker sound system.

Exterior changes over the standard Peugeot Traveller are subtle and include large Traveller i-Lab badging, which covers the window from the B-pillar to the D-pillar. A chrome grille marks out the front of the car, and a deep metallic brown paint colour has been applied, which has already drawn interest so may be offered on production models.

The interior styling is upgraded over the standard Traveller, with diamond-quilted Alcantara and leather seats, leather door panel trim and widespread use of wood trim throughout. A digital control module for the entertainment and climate control functions is built into the headlining.

Breaking from the passenger-carrying approach of its Citroën and Toyota counterparts, the Traveller i-Lab has only four rear individual seats, in addition to the driver and passenger seats in the front, a set-up that Peugeot says is business-oriented.

Under the bonnet, a 2.0-litre 180bhp diesel engine and automatic gearbox are fitted; the engine is already used in the Traveller and other high-end Peugeot models, including the 308 SW GT.

Although the Traveller i-Lab is a concept, Peugeot suggests that it previews future business editions of the Traveller. The car’s party piece - the 32in central tablet - will not make it onto production vehicles, though.