BMW Vision Next 100 concept projects future of self-driving cars

BMW AG showcased the Vision Next 100 concept car on the Centenary Event of the brand when it commercially registered its inception. The Vision Next 100 is a futuristic sleek concept car which is based on the future direction of cars where the drivers can decide between the pleasures of a high-performance driving experience and allowing the car to drive by itself to the destination. The concept had been designed to alter itself to suit the needs of the driver not just in terms of only driving experience, but also physically changing the form of the car to further enhance the performance and anticipating the necessary changes on the go.

As mentioned above, in the driver mode, also termed as ‘boost’ mode, the car suggests the ideal line and speed to be maintained while driving. The centre console on the dashboard shifts its angle towards the driver while the whole front windshield is used to display all kinds of necessary information from speed, climate, obstacles, oncoming vehicles, and so on. To top it off, the driver can use gestures to communicate with the car.

In the self-driving mode or ‘ease’ mode the steering wheel and the centre console retracts into the dashboard thus allowing the front occupants to turn around the seats and face each other. This allows the driver and passengers to look and one another while the car takes over the driving task for the journey.

The Vision Next 100 concept is a "blend of coupé-type sportiness and the dynamic elegance of a sedan" as per the manufacturer. From outside the Vision Next 100 has compact dimensions but inside, it provides the luxurious interior that we’ve come to expect of a BMW sedan. The concept is draped in a copper colour scheme which the designers have explained to be a connection between the driver and the technology.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The most eye-catching feature for the Vision Next 100 would be the fender skirts where the wheels are hidden under an intelligent kind of mesh of triangles which changes its form when the wheels turn to negotiate turns. With the use of such innovative technology the Vision next 100 is capable of maintaining a drag co-efficient as low as 0.18.

The German manufacturer has scheduled a world tour of the Vision Next 100 where the concept car will be on display in the Unites States, Britain, and China which will culminate at the BMW festival in Munich.