German luxury-car maker BMW celebrates its 100th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, BMW has decided to create a concept car that will show how the company imagines vehicles of the future should look like.
Showing a futuristic concept is quite different from the usual practice among car makers in these types of occasions, often opting for an iconic retro car as a reminder of what has set the company apart in the past.
Digital Intelligence and Alive Geometry
The concept that BMW unveiled at an event at its Munich headquarters is called Vision Next 100, suggesting that this is what the company’s products will look like in 100 years. There are several aspects that this car of the future highlights: automation, enhanced connection between drivers and cars, and digitalization.
The car can operate in two modes: autonomous and manual, with the company stating that although it is working on self-driving vehicles, it intends to always allow occupants to be able to take control of their vehicles at any moment.
When in “Ease” mode, the Vision Next 100 is controlled entirely by its self-driving software, allowing the driver to sit back in an environment that is different than when operating in “Boost” mode, which gives control of some driving tasks over to the driver.
When switching from Boost to Ease mode, the car’s interior transforms, in order to make occupants feel more comfortable, easing communication between them and making for an enhanced riding experience altogether.
The front seats turn towards the back, the steering wheel retracts, and the dashboard changes its configuration.
On top of that, there is different and specific exterior lighting for both modes, to let other drivers on the road whether the car is in autonomous or manual mode.
The most interesting feature in Boost mode is definitely the augmented reality heads-up display. The windshield is basically turned into one huge display, showing information on current road conditions, potential hazardous situations, along with navigation information and suggestions on the optimal route, as part of BMW’s Digital Companion concept, that aims to enhance the connection between a user and their vehicle.
“Our goal was to create a very personal vehicle. There will always be that highly emotional Connection between a BMW and its driver,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Automobile Design.
Innovative Manufacturing Methods
In addition to the artificial intelligence and connectivity technologies, the Vision Next 100 reflects possible advances in the car production process, as well. BMW is one of the few companies that uses carbon fiber to make mass-production vehicles, and it uses this extremely strong and lightweight material for this futuristic concept, as well. The company stated once again that it intends to ramp up the use of carbon fiber for future models, ultimately eliminating conventional steel from the manufacturing process entirely.
What’s more, the car was built using the innovative 4D-printing technique, which allows 3D-printed objects to transform after a certain period of time. This technique is still in its infancy, but BMW bets that it will be commonplace in the future.
With all that said, the Vision Next 100 is only a concept and no one should expect to be able to buy something similar anytime soon, but it gives us a great glimpse into the future and how next generations might get around town in a hundred years.