BMW has unveiled a radically shape-shifting car and says you can toggle between performance driving and letting the car take control.
The company introduced the Vision Next 100 at Monday’s ceremonies for the company’s 100th day at the Olympic Hall in Munich. The car offers a choice of driver or vehicle controlled operations, with a retractable steering wheel and swiveling seats.
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In driving mode, the car indicates the ideal driving line and speed; In ‘quiet’ or autonomous mode, the steering wheel retracts and the driver and front seat passenger can face each other. Concept cars suggest what future production models could look like.
Auto executives said last week at the Geneva International Motor Show that some elements of autonomous driving could start to be introduced by the end of this decade.
“If, as a designer, you are able to imagine something, there is a good chance that one day it will become a reality,” said Adrian ʋan Hooydonk, BMW Group Design Director. So our goal with Next 100 was to develop a future scenario that people would engage with.’
‘At the BMW Group, we are always looking for the best solution. It is part of our DNA,’ said Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, at the Centenary Eʋent in Munich on Monday.
‘It is also the spirit of our partnerships, a recurring theme that permeates our corporate and leadership culture.’
‘We have shown on many occasions throughout our history that we are capable of learning quickly and taking the first steps,’ said Krüger.
‘The premium mobility of the BMW Group will be completely simple, completely agile and tailored to the individual preferences of each customer,’ the company said.
‘Right now, the world is about to realize automated driving; in the not too distant future, most cars will be completely autonomous and will travel on the streets of cities inhabited by many more people than today.’
‘Future mobility will connect every area of people’s lives. And that is where we see new opportunities for early mobility,” added Krüger.
The Next 100 vehicle combines coupé-like sportiness with the dynamic elegance of a sedan, but rather than being an anonymous transportation machine, it is a highly personalized vehicle that adapts perfectly to the changing needs of the driver.
Driver-vehicle interactions are managed with Aliʋe Geometry; Boost and Ease modes offer a choice of driver or vehicle controlled operations, and the vehicle interior changes to match the driving mode.
In Boost, the entire vehicle is driver-focused, offering the necessary support to maximize the driving experience, for example, indicating the ideal driving line, steering point and speed. Ease mode sees the interior transformation: the steering wheel and center console retract; the headrests swivel to the side, and the seats and door trim merge to form a single unit, so the driver and front-seat passenger can swivel toward each other.
Video: BMW shows what they think cars will look like in 100 years м>
