Peugeot Instinct concept car at MWC 2017

Peugeot unveiled its Instinct concept vehicle at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

So, MWC 2017 is not just about portable tech. Peugeot has chosen the Barcelona mobile showcase to reveal the Instinct.

The futuristic car is powered by a PHEV powertrain and features both ‘drive’ and ‘autonomous’ modes. So, it’s up to you whether you want to take out for a blast on the twisties, or to let it take over for the monotony of the motorway.

So far, so expected. But there’s more tech packed in to the Instinct.

Instinct by name and nature

There’s also Samsung Artik Cloud. This can sync with your other devices. So, the car will learn more about your lifestyle in order to preconfigure settings such as driving mode, interface settings, ambient lighting and more.

Thanks to all that information, the Instinct promises to live up to its name and adapt to match certain behaviours.

This means it can read data from a smartwatch and configure its settings to give you a relaxing ride home after a trip to the gym. It can also check your diary and through that and the vehicle’s navigation system, prompt you to set off early for an appointment to allow for the traffic and weather conditions.

The lengthy bonnet hints at the 300 hp delivered by the PHEV power chain. The generous contours of the wheel arches suggest good road-handling and the power of the four drive wheels.

The front end is extremely expressive. The grille’s aspect changes depending on which way you look at it. Its semi-hollowed structure features a Lion which is underlined in white when ‘autonomous’ mode is activated.

Instinct design

It’s not all just happening under the hood either. The car is sculpted for maximum fuel efficiency as well as good looks.

The ultra-slim headlights are framed by strong angled vertical lines. There’s also cameras in each LED headlamp to enable the car to scan the road ahead and communicate with the driving assistance systems.

The cabin is a highly tactile, and adaptable space. It can switch from being a focused driving environment to a comfortable lounge space – depending on whether ‘drive’ or ‘autonomous’ modes are selected.

When in ‘autonomous’ mode, the compact steering wheel and toggle switch panel fold into the dashboard and the accelerator pedal folds back into the pedal unit to maximise space.

Don’t worry if you feel the need to be in control at all times though. In both modes, the driver will retain control over the vehicle via the i-Device, which sits next to the 9.7-inch screen in the centre console.

This will enable you to switch between modes and take action when needed.

Check out the live feed from the Peugeot stand at MWC 2017.