[ad_1]
BMW has unveiled its vision for a stand-alone electric crossover SUV and, if it is really close to the concept version, it should be a nice place to go.
The BMW Vision iNext is a concept vehicle for the moment. But BMW executives said they planned to bring something similar into production in 2021.
The car was unveiled in the belly of a cargo plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Inside, BMW executives presented working versions of some of the technologies being considered for the car, including tactile fabrics and interactive projections. As with any concept vehicle, the aspects or capabilities of the production version are not yet clearly defined.
The front of the Vision iNext features a new version of the BMW brand kidney grill with two rounded rectangles. In Vision iNext, the rectangular shapes are connected by a large central section, creating a kind of massive letter H. This grill is largely cosmetic because a large radiator is not needed on a fully electric car. One of the main reasons for this central section is to cover front-mounted cameras and sensors that allow the car to drive itself.
The interior of the car has a deliberately designed room atmosphere. The seats, walls and even the dashboard are covered with richly textured fabrics. Instead of the usual center console between the front seats, there is a table-shaped structure with a metal base and an inlaid wooden top.
BMW engineers are working on technologies to use the wooden surface of the table as a touch pad. This looks like the way BMW cars can now write letters with their fingers on a large plastic control button. The occupants of the iNext may also be able to write letters and shapes with fingers on the car seat fabrics.
BMW executives have also introduced a projection technology that allows a user to hold a lightweight cardboard sheet on his lap to use as a kind of tablet. Images with which the user can interact are projected from above onto the sheet and can even be moved at the same time. The projection beam follows the pad so that it never slips off the page.
One of the dominant themes in designing the iNext Vision is that technology should be, as much as possible, invisible until it is needed. (BMW calls it "Shy-tech.") This allows the interior of the car to be as comfortable and relaxing as possible. When the car is in autonomous driving mode, the steering wheel moves away from the driver and the brake pedal and throttle pedal retracts into the ground. The head restraints on the front seats also fold so that occupants can see each other better and talk to each other.
BMW has announced plans to design and design future models so that they can all be produced with a choice of internal combustion, electric or hybrid engines. This will allow the company to easily move the production of new cars to meet the demands of consumers and regulations as they move.
The iNext Vision was revealed to journalists from four different airports – in Munich, New York, San Francisco and Beijing – over the past five days. The vehicle was packed in an exhibition space inside a Lufthansa Cargo plane that flew in each of the cities successively. The journalists were invited aboard the plane to see the car and talk with the company officials.
CNNMoney (New York) First published on September 15, 2018: 18:18 ET
Source link
