PSA Peugeot-Citroën shows new cabin technology

PSA Peugeot-Citroën has previewed a suite of new interior technology that can alter the cabin environment to combat stress or drowsiness.

The firm describes the tech, badged as the ‘Chrysalide concept’, as “a holistic approach to total physical, social and mental well being”.

Using a dashboard camera to analyse facial expressions, the car ‘knows’ whether the driver is feeling drowsy, stressed or irritable. If these traits are detected, the system activates sight, sound, smell or touch programs that are personalised by the driver to either soothe or energise.

The system can be customised with the user’s choice of music, the type of massage delivered by the seats and even the type of fragrance emitted into the cabin. New ambient lighting enhances the experience.

Spatial Sound technology digitally processes audio signals to communicate with the driver more clearly by making sat-nav commands or indicator sounds for left and right turns on the appropriate side. The same system is used to produce more involving, three-dimensional music.

Cabin air is purified by a new pollution control system already on sale in China. The Spatial Sound system and the pollution control system will go into production globally on Peugeot, Citroën and DS models from 2016.