BMW promised something special for the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March, and it looks as though the German firm has made good on its promise. The dramatically-styled Vision ConnectedDrive concept not only showcases the future of in-car networking technology, but could also preview the design direction the company may take with future roadster models.
The ConnectedDrive concept’s design lifts a number of cues from the company’s Vision EfficientDynamics concept which wowed the crowds at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The compact roadster’s silhouette is broken up by a layered bodywork design that, according to its designers, gives the car a lighter, more organic appearance. Among the ConnectedDrive’s notable features are the Tron-esque layer seams that illuminate according to the network/performance status of the car, an aggressive nose with gaping front air dams; along with a widened take on the twin-kidney grille and small headlamps, and a transparent channel cut into the bonnet from the driver’s side of the car to the nose that is said to represent the driver’s focus on the road.
The cabin follows the exterior’s eccentric bent with two distinctive pods within which the driver and passenger sit. Smooth, flowing surfaces are the order of the day with buttons and dials making way for programmable touch-screen interfaces for ancillary controls and a heads-up display integrated into the car’s diminutive windscreen.
As befits the concept’s name, the focus of this car centres around a system that allows the driver’s smartphone to link seamlessly with the vehicle as they get behind the wheel. While this technology may not sound ground-breaking in itself, it is supplemented by an augmented reality interface which is capable of piloting the car by itself. In its press release on the ConnectedDrive concept, BMW describes a scenario where the driver can pilot the car to their desired location, get out, and the car will then use its onboard internet connectivity to locate a parking garage and drive itself there!
It’s all futuristic stuff, but there is also an interesting retro touch that could hint at other intentions for this model. The doors are electrically-powered items that retract into the sill á la BMW Z1 – could this imply a possible production spin-off, minus gizmos, to fit in beneath the current Z4 models? BMW has stated that the ConnectedDrive concept will remain just that – a concept – but BMW usually takes the time to craft such creations with a view to introducing elements of them into production models, so who knows?
BMW has remained tight-lipped regarding the concept’s technical details, but given the host of high-tech gadgetry on board it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility to suggest a hybrid or plug-in EV powertrain – the lack of exhaust outlets could well hint at such a move.
More will be revealed closer to the car’s official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. In the meantime, you can view a video of this remarkable concept in all of its futuristic Tron-flavoured glory…
