VW Built A Motorized Office Chair With More Features Than Some Cars

Think you have a snazzy office chair? Frankly, we don't know what the VW folks in Norway are thinking, but we suspect a few engineers are getting a bit stir-crazy as winter closes in. How else can you explain a motorized, heated office chair with headlights, a stereo, and a backup camera? And that's not even half the features on this range-topping piece of office furniture.

It's a product of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Norway, and yes, it's real. Simply called the chair, it has a top speed of 12 mph thanks to a single electric motor driving the rear  front  big wheels. Those are four-inch aluminum wheels by the way; they also control steering, and with a fully charged battery this chair has a range of 7.4 miles. That should be enough to cover bathroom trips for at least a week, even for those constantly trying to avoid a particularly crabby boss.

Once settled into the seat and strapped in (of course there's a seatbelt), the pilot of this luxury chair literally has a bevy of equipment within reach. LED headlights and strip lights shine through dark hallways. A horn alerts inattentive co-workers gossiping at the water cooler to your presence. If that fails, crank up the stereo and annoy them into compliance. On rare occasions when the office staff likes your music, the chair also has flashing party lights. And if things really get fun, there's a hitch on the back to tow kegs from the boss's closet to the break room.

Through it all, an infotainment system keeps you informed on what's happening with the chair. That includes 360-degree sensors and a backup camera, which is perfect for catching Bill trying to covertly stick another kick me sign on your back. Not today Bill. Not today.

No, you can't go to your local Volkswagen dealership (or cool furniture store) and buy one. It's just a one-off built to help advertise VW's lineup of vans and commercial vehicles, and the ploy obviously worked because here we are, writing about it. It's certainly not as capable as a Caddy or ID. Buzz, but the chair would be our only choice for entering the next round of office Olympics.