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02 Dec 2017

PEUGEOT and BENETEAU present the Sea Drive Concept

Building on the global success of i-Cockpit®, with around four million users, PEUGEOT is now providing its expertise in ergonomic cockpits to BENETEAU, world leader in the leisure craft industry. Designed and built by PEUGEOT Design Lab, this functional demonstrator combines the intuitive, natural handling of the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® with the connected Ship Control® technology developed by BENETEAU. Boasting the best of both worlds, the Sea Drive Concept offers a glimpse of the boating industry’s future steering station.

PEUGEOT and BENETEAU present the Sea Drive Concept

The PEUGEOT i-Cockpit®: an innovative interior design concept

Driving a PEUGEOT has always been a unique experience. The brand has always used its expertise in developing and tuning running gear to enhance driveability. To further increase driving pleasure and discover new sensations, PEUGEOT decided some years ago to undertake in-depth studies on car cockpit design.

This quest resulted in an innovative interior layout: the Peugeot i-Cockpit®. The system comprises several key features:

  • A compact steering wheel, the smallest on the market in any segment, for easier handling and enhanced driving sensations;
  • A head-up display displaying all relevant information in the driver's line of vision so they can keep their eyes on the road and concentrate on steering;
  • A large touchscreen with intuitive controls for all comfort functions (radio, air-conditioning, etc.) making it easier to use all the on-board features.

The result is a modern, high-tech dashboard with remarkably clean lines. The small number of buttons – only the essential – along with premium materials and quality of build emphasize the specific features of the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit®, promoting driving pleasure, agility and driver concentration. The interior of a PEUGEOT is now immediately identifiable and highly desirable.

The i-Cockpit® saga: a huge market success

A signature feature of the brand’s identity, i-Cockpit® was launched five years ago on the brand’s best-selling models:

  • The 208, which introduced the concept in 2012;
  • The 2008 SUV;
  • The 308 and 308 SW, where the second-generation system reaches new heights in clean, ergonomic dashboard design;
  • The 3008 SUV, voted European Car of the Year 2017, featuring a third-generation i-Cockpit® with all the latest features in comfort and safety, delivering an all-round sensory experience for the occupants;
  • The new 5008 SUV.

For the 3008 and 5008 SUVs, PEUGEOT engineers and designers brought all these cutting-edge features together in a 12.3" high-resolution digital head-up instrument panel, fitted as standard, fully configurable and with futuristic graphics. A series of highly elegant toggle switches give direct access to the main comfort and safety features.

Overall, almost four million drivers have enjoyed the emblematic PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® since 2012.

This concept quickly stood out as the most distinctive attribute of recent Lion designs. And this is only the beginning. The brand is continuing its research, as illustrated by the exploratory study on PEUGEOT INSTINCT CONCEPT and its responsive i-Cockpit®, redefining the passenger’s environment to reflect the new uses emerging from autonomous driving.

Driving a car equipped with a PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® is therefore, and will remain, a fulfilling, stimulating and addictive experience.

In the light of this exclusive experience, PEUGEOT Design Lab was keen to go further and explore new territories in a completely different sector: sailing and motorboating. And in this field, what could be more natural than the meeting of PEUGEOT and BENETEAU?

Rewarding cooperation between BENETEAU and PEUGEOT Design Lab

Over the years, the i-Cockpit has come to symbolize the new identity of PEUGEOT, an innovative brand representing a sense of pleasure and freedom for its customers. The PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® revolutionizes the interior of our vehicles by showcasing the on-board experience. PEUGEOT is proud to see this concept applied to other fields and to form a partnership with a company as prestigious as BENETEAU, in a sector so completely different from cars! This is huge recognition for the brand!

Jean-Philippe Imparato, PEUGEOT Brand CEO

PEUGEOT and BENETEAU. These two emblematic French brands, each leaders in their field of activity, have always shared the values of innovation and bold thinking.

For PEUGEOT, this approach is illustrated in particular by the founding of PEUGEOT Design Lab in June 2012. This global brand design studio is dedicated to customers outside the company. Its role is to design products and services that contribute to a global brand experience in all sectors of activity.

For BENETEAU, in response to the growing sophistication of on board boating equipment, the company has set up a research programme called Advanced Monitoring System (AMS). The aim of this programme is to centralize all the useful information to on board piloting, safety and comfort. This work led to the development of Ship Control® technology, fitted on the new BENETEAU Gran Turismo 50 sports cruiser for presentation to the public.

It is a great honour to be able to combine our Ship Control technology with the i-Cockpit experience. Innovation is a BENETEAU hallmark, so when PEUGEOT invited us to work on a joint project in the field of connectivity, we agreed immediately! It's a real pleasure to see these two brands, both pioneers in their own fields, devoting their talents to boating.

Luca Brancaleon, BENETEAU Brand CEO

The Sea Drive Concept is the result of the cooperation between two innovative programmes; a dialogue between two worlds. The characteristic components of the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® are visible on the demonstrator at first glance:

  • The compact steering wheel, directly inspired by cars. Similar to the steering wheel in most recent PEUGEOT vehicles, its small size makes for easy, agile handling.
  • A large 17-inch touchscreen displaying the Ship Control® interface, for immediate access to the boat's electronic functions.
  • A folding panel displaying the main navigational information in the pilot's line of vision.
  • Toggle switches on either side of the wheel for direct access to the main functions at all times.

PEUGEOT expertise is also visible in the build quality and choice of materials, which are based on the GT trim level: Nappa leather, copper topstitching, accents of chrome and satin, etc.

Simple and universal, the Ship Control® interface groups all useful onboard information including:

  • Onboard lighting (distribution, intensity);
  • Air conditioning control;
  • Navigation (speed, current, depth, route, direction, position);
  • Battery level check;
  • Fuel level check;
  • Electrical management (AC/DC);
  • Bilge pump management;
  • HiFi;
  • Engines (revs, speed)

A true on-board computer, the Ship Control® interface provides support and assistance for both navigation and on-board comfort. Several tablets can be connected locally to the interface, so each member of the crew can access all the functions available.

This ultra-connected universe is present in the Sea Drive Concept developed by PEUGEOT Design Lab. This makes it a cutting edge feature in a fast-changing sector.

The Sea Drive Concept illustrates a new way of designing a boat’s steering station, heralding the future of powerboating.

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