BMW celebrated centenary with an autonomous concept car (Photo : YouTube/CARJAM TV)
BMW has reached 100 years milestone since the automotive company first laid its foundation, and to celebrate the century, it showcased a futurists self-driving concept car at Munich. The concept automobile looks like something straight out of the fantasy and is a brainchild of BMW engineers glimpsing the German automaker's cars in 2116.
Guys at BMW made sure that the concept fulfills the promise of luxury car maker's future aspirations, which was not an easy feat because the engineers had to incorporate autonomous or self-driving features into the concept model, without compromising its performance, USA Today reported.
According to the chairman of the board of management, Harald Kruger, the BMW Group is always venturing into the best solution and its part of their DNA. Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, also commented, "If, as a designer, you are able to imagine something, there's a good chance it could one day become reality."
The BMW's 100th celebration model was actually a sedan with "coupé-type sportiness." Some of the features include smart driver assist for selecting the ideal lane and speed. It is also a shape-shifting car, which has two modes of operation: manual and autonomous.
When switched to driverless mode, it undergoes transformative changes, retracting the steering wheel and the center console, so that the cabin act as a lounge where the front row passengers can spin their seats around to engage in conversation with back seaters, without worrying about who is driving the car.
The vehicle is fitted with AI computers that can decide the exact moment to steer the wheel when traversing the apex of a bend, Yahoo News reported. This also implies that the car is also loaded with certain sensors that help the on-board computers observe the surrounding environment.
"We have demonstrated on many occasions throughout our history that we are capable of learning fast and taking bold steps," Yahoo News quoted Krüger as saying. More details about the car will be revealed during a designated world tour.
BMW is looking to the future where cars drive themselves on the road and for the visionaries, that day is will come soon enough. The revelation of futuristic driverless at the Munich event was the car makers contribution to that vision 100 years into the future.
The following video shows the dramatic entrance of BMW's wonder car.
