Volkswagen unveiled what is probably the most complex office chair ever to have existed, integrating a number of features you’d normally find in cars. The one-off chair is fully electric and can be driven around the office while featuring LED headlights, heating, parking sensors, and an infotainment system.
This fun project was undertaken by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Norway, with the goal of bringing car-like functionality to the office. Thanks to an electric motor and a removable battery, the chair is drivable with a 20 km/h (12 mph) top speed although no one needs to drive that fast in an office environment. On the other hand, the estimated range of 12 km (7.5 miles) is perfect for a piece of furniture.
Read: Mercedes-AMG’s New $3.5k Office Chair Is Actually A Car Seat On Wheels
The chair rides on aluminum wheels with the VW logo. It has a pair of LED headlights on the armrests with a design that mimics the ID range of EVs, and a multi-colored party mode. It even has turn signals at the back, so you don’t confuse the person walking behind you in the corridor. The height-adjustable car-like seat looks very comfortable and is heated for those cold days at work. Safety comes first which is why the chair is equipped with a proper seatbelt.
All functions are accessible through a control panel on the right-hand side (thankfully with physical buttons, knobs, and switches), and an infotainment touchscreen display on the left-hand side which is connected to an audio system. The screen can also show the feed from a rear-view camera, helping users navigate through tight spaces while going in reverse, in combination with parking sensors. Finally, there is a USB slot for charging your device while on the go.
The chair also has a very small boot with only 5 lt (0.18 cubic feet) of storage, able to hold small laptops and documents. For those who want to carry more stuff around the office, VW engineers added a trailer hitch. We don’t know the towing capacity of the chair but we guess it could easily tow a small trailer or even a high-spec printer.
The VW Office chair is without a doubt one overengineered piece of furniture but it is not destined for production. Still, those who would like to check it out in person can apply for “test drives” that will be offered in the next few months in select locations throughout Norway.