It’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.”
Sure, it’s a wry remark about the accuracy of superfluous prognostication but that doesn’t stop human beings from seeking to peer past the horizon. From trying to plot a course through years of academia to sorting out what’s for dinner, we’re always looking expectantly to the future.
One way to qualify the passage of time is through technology eras, each hallmarked by the progression of transportation — from steam engine to internal combustion, jet propulsion, and so on. This is why flying cars and robot-piloted taxis remain a staple in science fiction narratives. But putting the Jetsons aside for a moment, what’s actually in store for the automotive world in the next few years?
Bosch has also demonstrated its ability to have all these systems communicate with its traffic jam assist technology. This system, with the help of a stereo video camera (to perceive depth the same way our two eyes allow), traffic jam assists makes the gridlock under 35 miles per hour slightly more bearable. Autonomous cars, where we push the power button, enter a destination, and then open the newspaper, will still be a challenge by 2018. But driver-assist technologies will make our cars feel like they drive themselves.
BMW i
BMW i is all about visionary electric vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability and that pursues a holistic approach. BMW i is redefining the understanding of personal mobility with purpose-built vehicle concepts, a focus on sustainability throughout the entire value chain and a whole host of complementary mobility services
Special Features:
Carbon fibre
LifeDrive architecture
BMW eDrive
BMW EfficientDynamics
Design Philosophy
BMW i is revolutionising automotive engineering with the first series-produced passenger cells made of carbon, components from BMW EfficientDynamics lightweight construction technology. Carbon is around 50 % lighter than steel and around 30 % lighter than aluminium, allowing BMW i to set new standards in lightweight construction while also completely offsetting the additional weight resulting from the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. At the same time, carbon is a high-tensile material that can be used in a versatile manner for construction purposes and increases the safety of all vehicle occupants.
BMW LifeDrive is the first vehicle architecture to be created especially for electric cars. It is made up of two separate units: the Life module, the passenger cell made of carbon, and the Drive module with suspension and drive components and the high-voltage battery. The advantage? By securely housing all drive components in the lower module, there is no tunnel running through the middle of the car, thus leaving more room for passengers. The LifeDrive architecture not only compensates for the extra weight of the battery, it also lowers the car’s centre of gravity, giving every BMW i the kind of agility you've grown to expect
BMW i applies a consistent design philosophy combining innovative sustainability with premium quality in all BMW i models. For example, the black belt that runs from the bonnet over the roof to the rear, the typical BM
W i streamflow design, the aero-flaps and characteristic features like the U-shaped LED daytime running lig
hts and LED rear lights. Sustainably produced, light materials are also a defining feature of the interiorom BMW
hts and LED rear lights. Sustainably produced, light materials are also a defining feature of the interiorom BMW