Fast links for the test:BMW’s slogan, the ultimate driving machine, has been around for decades. But in the EV -Fära, in the sound, torque and even steering feeling by software, what does this mantra really mean? Mihiar Ayoubi, Senior Vice President Driving Experience, has been with BMW for three decades. He carried out the transformation of the company of purely mechanical chassis tuning to today’s software-defined vehicles. With the first class model that arrives later this year, he believes that BMW is entering a fourth era – one that could be as important in the 1960s as the original 1500.
From mechanical chassis to the heart of joy
“I have experienced three decades of driving dynamics at BMW,” Ayoubi begins. “The first was mechanical – they had to do the driving pleasure through the chassis design. The second was the mechatronic era when we added intelligence with active steering and braking systems. The third went for a connected chassis, in which all subsystems communicated in loops.”
He takes a break and then leans: “Now the fourth is coming. The new class is historical because we have a completely new body, a fully electrical backbone and a software -defined vehicle for the first time. Instead of closed loops, we are now using a hierarchical architecture.
What can not change in the EV -Fära
So how does BMW ensure that its cars still feel like BMW without a burning engine at the front? “The most important thing is the linear reaction,” says Ayoubi. “When you see a corner, you need to know exactly how your car will behave. Mustability is everything.” Electric cars, he explains, presents unique challenges. A stiff battery pack creates a very rigid middle section, but leaves the front and back relatively “loose”. Without careful tuning, this can create an unpredictable reaction.
“Everyone says the low focus is the advantage of the Ev.
And then there is torque delivery. “Combustion engines were never fast enough,” he says. “They had a natural delay. But an electric motor reacts immediately. This can be impressive in a direct demo, but it is not an application for everyday customers. We control strengths at the wheel. We make the answer linear and loyal.”
Ordinary drivers feel extraordinary
Leading managers were also surprised in the tests. “One of our board members got out and said:” I didn’t know that I was such a good driver. “He wasn’t – but the car felt like this.” It’s not just about enthusiasts. “Our goal is that ordinary customers are sure to feel seamless predictability and enjoyment. They feel more comfortable than when they got into the car.”
“Of course we have a small group of customers who can really drive who can approach the borders and enjoy the high resolution of this system,” he says. “But I’m talking about the ordinary customer. I think you will leave the car if you feel seamless predictability and enjoyment.
According to reports, one of the BMW’s own project manager said the same thing after testing a prototype in Sokolov, in which a large part of the Dynamic Development of BMW takes place: “I feel more comfortable now than at the moment when I got into the car.”
This trust was tested under extreme conditions. “Our first KPI drove on slippery roads and winter conditions,” says Ayoubi. I explained that the car remained controllable on wet surfaces during my own test of the BMW IX3 at 130 km/h. Ayoubi added: “For us, it is still the most important KPI to prevent braking and keep the steering.”
Scalability and OTA potential
The heart of joy is not a static technology. “We have three dimensions of scalability,” explains Ayoubi. “Firstly, in all cars: a new class can feel cheeky, another sensible, another safe. Second, within a car: different driving modes for different customers. And thirdly to add new subsystems in the future – in the future the central intelligence will only integrate them like new arms of the ink meat.”
Since the system is software -determined, Ayoubi does not exclude the air monealization. “Why not?” He says openly. “The technology can do so. Our sales colleagues may think about selling digital functions. Imagine we will publish a more dynamic setup for slalom driving. As soon as the customer pays, we can deliver it.”
The challenge of heat and track use
When Ayoubi is asked about overheating by EVS on the route, he refers to the lessons from the experimental VDX prototype. “VDX was a kind of wild horse,” he admits. “It was also a vehicle in which we learned to improve the control loops that come into the subsystems and physical parts. But they can’t take everything from it in production cars. Thermal headroom is still a challenge.”
Why did BMW not hurry to level 3
The new class will be debut with the driver aid of level 2+, not with level 3. For Ayoubi, the decision was clear. “We tested level 3, but customers are not ready. They don’t want to lose control, especially in cities. It is like we had presented the first active anti-roll bars. We gave Cars zero roll-angle, but customers didn’t want to take time for them to get used to it.”
Security is the other factor. “Many OEMs treat Adas like a wild west. But they are just statistics – cars, kilometers, probability of failure. Unless they have the highest security standards, they deliver accidents every day. We cannot accept this.”
Level 2 ++ explained
The term “level 2 ++” has become marketing shorthand, but Ayoubi offers two interpretations. “The positive view is that we can provide help when driving in the city. With AI and neuronal networks, you can adapt to more complex environments. However, we always use a hybrid approach – AI plus physics – to ensure transparency.”
Then he adds a warning. “The sad interpretation is level 3 minus. Some call it self-driving, but liability is still with the driver. The more comfort you give, the more distraction you create. This is the dot.
Redundance and fails
Ayoubi also offers an insight into the obsession of BMW from redundancy. “Take the handover of level 3. If the system asks you to take control, it uses an acoustic warning. But what if your speakers or microphone do not work? Every time you start the car, we send inaudible frequencies via the speakers to test the system. Only then do we allow the provision.”
It is a small detail, but one that illustrates the security approach of BMW.
Level 4, but not 5
So what’s next? “Technically speaking, we can deliver level 4,” says Ayoubi. “The question is: is there a train from the market? Customers need time to trust. Level 5? Not in this decade.”
The future of joy
In the end, Ayoubi insists that the new class does not mark the end of the BMW -DNA – it is a reinvention. “Electric driving is a challenge,” he admits. “But if you understand the disadvantages, you can turn them into advantages. This is the heart of joy. The technology changes, but the DNA does not.”
