Already two years ago, BMW allowed people to have an insight into their idea of future vehicles. Now, they presented their highly automated, fully connected and emission-free car on Thursday the 13th of September in Beijing. “This vision car is a singular vehicle, which you have never seen from BMW before,” said Klaus Froehlich, member of the board of management of BMW AG. But what makes the future car so special?
The BMW iNEXT adopts BMW’s fifth generation eDrive system and enables to drive more than 600 kilometers with one charge (Chinadaily.com.cn, 2018). Further, the lightweight body of this model makes it possible to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hours in less than four seconds.
BMW laid their focus on designing the car as a mobile living space. The E-SUV has space for up to four people and allows the driver to choose between the “Boost” mode or the “Ease” mode. With the “Boost” mode, people can drive by themselves and with the “Ease” mode, the car will drive by itself. According to the selected mode, the design changes inside. In the autonomous mode, the steering wheel, as well as the gas pedal, disappear. The display shows no driver relevant info anymore, rather shows suggestions for places and events where to go to.
BMW does not use additional displays but rather makes use of invisible integrated intelligent technologies – the corresponding functions are fulfilled via projections. Additionally, a personal assistant can control not only functions in the vehicle but also smart home devices.
The future car of BMW is not just a car but rather a symbol of the new digital era in mobility for all car manufacturers but especially for the BMW Group. By 2021, BMW plans to launch their iNEXT serial production and by 2025 they plan to offer 25 electrified models, from which 12 will be fully electric (electrive.com, 2018).
This new era can be viewed as a positive change, since electric vehicles are better for the environment, our health and the economy. Or do we have to look at this digital trend critically?
References:
- Chinadaily.com.cn. (2018). BMW presents its vision and innovation of future mobility – Chinadaily.com.cn. [online] Available at: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2018-09/17/content_36925480.htm [Accessed 17 Sep. 2018].
- com. (2018). BMW presents the Vision iNEXT – production to begin in 2021 – electrive.com. [online] Available at: https://www.electrive.com/2018/09/16/bmw-presents-the-vision-inext-production-to-begin-in-2021/ [Accessed 17 Sep. 2018].
