VIDEO: BMW Vision Next 100 – ideas and technologies

The BMW Vision Next 100 concept, which Munich rolled out during its centennial celebrations, is polarising to say the least. With a radical design and several far-out ideas about driving (both the manual and the autonomous kind) in the future, it’s very different from the Ultimate Driving Machines that we are familiar with, even as the company talks about preserving – and even enhancing – the typical BMW driving experience.

To better explain the concept and the philosophies behind it, BMW has released a new video that shows the design process as well as the technologies that are featured on the car, as the company looks forward to the next 100 years – hence the name.

Dominating the Vision Next 100 is a triangular graphic motif that BMW terms Alive Geometry. The car features 800 of these panels inside and out, moving and transforming at will to perform different functions – from opening up the wheel arches to wrap around the inset wheels when the steering is turned, to warning drivers of imminent hazards such as oncoming vehicles and crossing pedestrians.

The car operates in two modes – Boost for driving the car yourself, and Ease for autonomous driving. In the former, the driver’s seat changes position, and the centre console is angled more towards the driver. The BMW Head-Up Display also uses the entire windscreen to show information such as the ideal driving line, steering point and speed, as well as hazards on the road in poor weather or when visibility is obstructed.

The interior mood in Ease mode is considerably different – the steering wheel and centre console stow away, and the seats move towards the doors to allow occupants to sit at a slight angle, making it easier for them to face each other. The HUD also becomes an infotainment display that also shows personalised content.

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