The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept was displayed at the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, recognized as one of the most romantic contemporary art museums in Europe. This museum regularly hosts exhibitions featuring leading contemporary artists from around the world, making it a fitting venue for the display of this innovative vehicle. The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive roadster concept, introduced in 2011, illustrates how a vehicle can become an integral part of its user’s digital world.
A Nod To The Past With A Look To The Future
This concept car is not only a technological marvel but also a design masterpiece. The most striking exterior design elements of the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept are its side doors. Inspired by the legendary BMW Z1 model, these doors have a unique feature reminiscent of the Z1’s ability to legally drive even with the doors open. This homage to the Z1 highlights BMW’s commitment to blending innovative technology with classic design elements, creating a seamless connection between the past and the future of automotive design.
Another distinctive feature of the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive is its “layered surface” design, both inside and out. The exterior is characterized by a long wheelbase, a set-back seating position, and a long hood, which together create a dynamic and accelerating appearance even when the car is stationary. The concept employs an advanced lighting system that visually represents the flow of data between the car, its occupants, and the external environment. This system includes sensors integrated into the headlights and rear lights to monitor traffic conditions
Interior Features
Inside, the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive features a three-layer design focused on comfort, infotainment, and safety. Each layer is highlighted by different lighting schemes, which change to reflect the current mode or function. The driver’s experience is further enhanced by an advanced 3D head-up display that overlays navigation information directly onto the road view, providing real-time augmented reality guidance. Additionally, the passenger has access to a separate information display, allowing them to interact with navigation and infotainment systems independently.
Essentially, the concept car is a showcase of BMW’s ConnectedDrive technology, which aims to optimize comfort, safety, and infotainment through intelligent networking. This includes features like the Emotional Browser, which filters and presents information about the car’s surroundings based on personal preferences, enhancing the journey with context-aware data. Interestingly, this BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept was one of the first vehicles to feature an all-electric drivetrain. But unfortunately, the car remained a vision and it never made it into production.
[Photos: BMW Slovakia]
