Transportation

BMW Unveils Concept Vehicles You Drive, Or Don't


Drive yourself, or let the car take over. BMW Group unveiled two sporty prototype cars today in Munich that represent those two choices—The Vision M NEXT and Vision iNext.

“The BMW Vision M NEXT provides a glimpse into the future of sporty driving,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, in a statement. “Where the BMW Vision iNEXT illustrated how autonomous driving is set to transform life on board our vehicles, the BMW Vision M NEXT demonstrates how state-of-the-art technology can also make the experience of driving yourself purer and more emotionally engaging. In both models, the focus is firmly on the people inside.”

At the center of both cars are what BMW calls EASE and BOOST concepts. The EASE concept is the basket of what BMW calls “ all the experiences during a journey when the vehicle assumes the task of driving.” Experiences that include transforming the vehicle into a “living space” where driver and passengers can socialize, rest or enjoy the infotainment system.

BOOST stands for what BMW calls “the ultimate active driving experience.” That experience would be at the whim of the driver. The Power PHEV drive systems offers the choice between electric all-wheel drive and pure rear-wheel drive with either all-electric propulsion or a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline-powered engine.

BMW says it all adds up to plenty of power and acceleration producing 600 horsepower with a top speed of 186 miles per hour and the instant oomph off the line to sprint from zero to 62 mph in three seconds. There’s also a BOOST+ mode activated by pushing a button.

The entire interior, in fact, is based on what BMW calls the “BOOST Pod,” which aims to connect driver and vehicle and, despite the availability of driver assist technology, focus the driver’s attention on the road.

It brings together all the control options and information across three distinct visual tiers in the driver’s direct field of view,” explained Domagoj Dukec, Vice President BMW Design, in a statement. “The first plane is formed by the horizontally arranged steering wheel featuring two small displays. Following this in the driver’s line of sight is a Curved Glass Display, a new addition whose transparent surface stretches around the steering wheel like a visor. The full-surface Augmented Reality Head-Up Display in the windscreen constitutes the third plane. Everything therefore happens directly in the driver’s line of sight.”

Dukec goes on to says the driving settings can be adjusted with steering wheel-mounted controls and the car will advise the driver when the use of BOOST+ is available or appropriate.

“This is a deliberate counterpoint to the BMW Vision iNEXT, which focused on multimodal operation from every seat,” said Dukec.

The Vision M NEXT’s exterior design features gullwing doors, head and tail lights using laser wire technology, black side skirts made from recycled carbon fiber and fron and rear ends blaring their presence in a color BMW calls Thrilling Orange.

As is often the case, the cruelty of unveiling concept vehicles is much like dangling a sirloin just out of a Doberman’s reach. Lots of mouthwatering, plenty of frustration but fervent hope that a satisfying meal is in the near future. Such is BMW’s strategy by suggesting some version of these innovations are likely to find their way into future products—sating our appetite for vehicles easier, more enjoyable and safer to drive, or ride in while they drive themselves.



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