THE BMW Vision iNext it's not just another concept. It not only serves as a technological focus on areas that will change the industry forever — autonomous driving, electric mobility, connectivity — but it envisions a new model to be launched in 2021.
The technological focus is high, but the format of Vision iNext reveals an SUV — a typology that promises to continue to have excellent commercial acceptance over the next few years — with dimensions similar to an X5, highlighting the reinterpretation of the brand's characteristic double kidney, with the “kidneys” together, as in the iVision Dynamics concept presented a year ago.
As it is 100% electric, the double kidney no longer assumes its role as an air inlet, and is now covered, integrating a series of sensors necessary for autonomous conduction.
Very few technical specifications were revealed. We only know that we will have at our disposal the 5th generation of the electric powertrain from BMW, which will be debuted in 2020 by the iX3, the electric variant of the current X3. In Vision iNext, 600 km of autonomy were advanced and only 4.0s to reach 100 km/h.
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President, BMW Group DesignBMW i exists to generate pioneering and creative ideas that transform the way we think about mobility. The BMW Vision iNEXT is another big step on this transformational journey, showing how vehicles can be smarter in making our lives easier and more beautiful.
Boost and Ease
BMW Vision iNext will not yet have level 5, but will stick with level 3 of autonomous driving, which already allows advanced autonomous driving functions on the highway (up to 130 km/h) or in an emergency situation (it manages to pull over to the curb and stop), but requires the constant attention of the driver, who may need to quickly regain control of the vehicle.
Taking this duality into account, Vision iNext has two modes of use, called Boost and Ease, that is, we either drive or we are driven, respectively.
We'd better get used to this front, with its slim LED optics and a huge double "joined" rim. Vision iNext is already the third concept/prototype to use this new solution for the double kidney.
In Boost mode, the screens oriented towards the driver provide information relating to driving (as in any car). In Ease mode, the steering wheel retracts, the screens have another type of information, which the brand refers to as Exploration mode — it suggests places and events in the surrounding area — and even the headrests of the front seats retract to facilitate communication between the front and rear occupants.
Cabin or living room?
It's a trend that will gain momentum over the next decade, with the inevitable introduction of increasingly autonomous vehicles. Car interiors will evolve and increasingly resemble a rolling living room — it could be a space for relaxation, entertainment or concentration — and Vision iNext is no exception.
The generous panoramic roof allows the interior to be bathed in light, where we find ourselves surrounded by materials such as fabrics and wood — notice the center console… or is it a side table? It really looks like a piece of furniture. Contributing to the perception of being in a room or lounge, the shape and materials of the rear seat, which extends to the sides.
Where are the buttons?
With so much technology built into the BMW Vision iNext, the interior is notable for having no visible controls or control areas, except those found directly in front of the driver. All so as not to distract or disturb its occupants, preserving the perception of being in a lounge or living room.
Technology becomes “visible” only when we require it, which is why BMW has called it, not without some irony, Shy Tech , or timid technology. Basically, instead of buttons or touch screens scattered throughout the interior, the German brand uses an intelligent projection system that has the power to turn any surface into an interactive area, be it fabric or wood. Shy Tech is divided into three distinct applications:
- Intelligent Personal Assistant — essentially lets you communicate via voice with the vehicle, after giving the command “Hey, BMW” (where have we seen this already?). By being fully integrated with the digital universe, interconnected with BMW Connected, devices and even smart homes, it even allows us to close the windows of our house using only and only our voice.
- Intelligent Materials — Instead of using a touchscreen to operate all the controls, in Ease mode, we can simply turn to the center console… made of wood. Hand and arm gestures are meticulously followed by dots of light. Behind, the same type of solution, but using the fabric present on the bench, activated with the touch of a finger, and using gestures to control all the commands, which can be visualized through the LED under the fabric.
- Intelligent Beam — is a projection system that allows you to visualize information (from text to images) on any surface, as well as being interactive. Could it mean, in the long run, the end of screens?
Before iNext Vision arrived…
… BMW will already have two new 100% electric vehicles on the market. The Mini Electric, anticipated by the homonymous concept last year, will come to us in 2019; and the aforementioned BMW iX3, also unveiled, for now, as a prototype, at the last Motor Show in Beijing.