BMW hosted a significant event at the company’s Munich HQ yesterday, in which the management announced the latest strategy to drive the transformation of individual mobility dubbed Strategy Number One> Next.
The details of this strategy is wide ranging, but some qualities jump out of the pages more than the rest, at least until we get to digest the weight of the entire announcement. For example, the current third generation plug-in hybrids will evolve to the fourth with an extended range of electric vehicles. Adding to that, development of the fifth generation that brings further progress in all areas are already underway.
BMW iNEXT
This technology transfer is the basis for the plug-in hybrid BMW iPerformance models. From 2016 onwards the BMW Group will have seven models in its range, which will be either purely electrically powered, like the BMW i3, or feature a combination of combustion engine and electric motor as plug-in hybrid solutions.
Further models are due to follow in the coming years, including a plug-in hybrid MINI. In addition, the award-winning plug-in hybrid sports car BMW i8 will be added to by an open-top BMW i8 roadster (as seen below). By the end of 2016, the Group’s electric vehicle portfolio will be expanded to include a BMW i3 that features increased battery capacity and additional range.
The BMW Group also continues to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology; the current test vehicles achieve a range up to 700 kilometres. The company believes that a variety of drivetrain systems will exist alongside each other in the future.
Project i 2.0 – automated driving
Through Project i, BMW Group have made substantial progress in e-mobility, through which the group established itself as a true pioneer. Project i enabled the company to build up the necessary expertise in electric mobility early on, whilst at the same time ensuring it could be realised on an industrial scale.
With i Project 2.0, the company is now following an equally ambitious path with respect to automated and fully networked driving. A clear focus will be placed on high definition digital maps, sensor technology, cloud technology and artificial intelligence. The previous investment in HERE has already secured the usability of high definition maps.
For the time being, BMW’s showcase in automated driving can be experienced in the new 7 Series. Equipped with a stereo camera and five radar sensors, the BMW Group’s flagship model stays in lane and maintains a safe distance to the vehicle ahead, even when driving up to 210 km/h on motorways.
The car can even drive itself into the garage at the push of a button using Remote Control Parking.
To further extend its lead in the field of automated driving, the BMW Group will be transferring these technologies to other models during the coming years. New sensor technology and more powerful software will allow rapid progress to be made in the field of automated driving.
