Going into the Geneva Motor Show, the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept was easily the most intriguing, distilling next-generation connectivity solutions into a sleek roadster body. But in person, the Vision left us slightly cold.
Like nearly every concept lining the halls of the Geneva PalExpo, BMW’s roofless coupe is more of a physical manifestation of high-minded ideas rather than coherent vehicle, but those lofty ambitions have potential, and to BMW’s credit, the automaker has put together a video to explain its insight into the future of connected cars.
The Vision’s design speaks for itself, so it’s best to focus on the technology BMW wants to employ in its next generation of vehicles. To that end, the Vision pulls out all the stops, from headlamps and taillamps equipped with sensors to monitor traffic to an onboard WLAN setup that communicates with other vehicles to warn drivers of potential hazards.
The programmable instrument cluster is something we’ll probably see come to market first, allowing both the driver and passenger to bring up navigation, entertainment and communication systems, share information between displays and access the Internet. And like the MyFord Touch system, BMW is employing a color-coded system – red for safety, blue for infotainment and green for comfort – to make navigating the various functions a breeze.
All these systems are set to make an appearance inside BMW’s flagship hybrid sports car in 2013, and you can get an in-depth look into the Vision concept below and check out our previous post for more details.
