The next ultimate driving machine is not driven as strongly as the processing performance. With the NEE class production of products, BMW introduces a new electrical architecture, which is powered by powerful computers, which are cheekily referred to as “superbrains” and consolidate everything from infotainment to dynamics to a single nerve center. Can BMW transform this massive processing performance into a new generation of driver cars, or will we end with summing smartphones? Let’s take a look.
The end of mechanical purity or the beginning of something exciting?
The core audience of BMW still has a lot that still appreciate the mechanical feedback that the company has long achieved a fine line between technical innovation and the driver. With the “heart of joy” (BMW’s name, not mine), which is now responsible for driving dynamics, traction control and energy testing ten Times faster than anything else.
But here is the catch – does this mean that experience becomes more synthetic? BMW claims its system eliminates inefficiencies and delivers precisely. Feeling-Oriented driving characteristics. But if everything is controlled from braking to acceleration by software, will it still have the raw, analog character for which BMWs are known? I had the chance to drive BMW shotgun in the Vision Driving Dynamics Test Vehicle and felt much more optimistic about the electrified figure than ever before.
Now let us clear this out of the way – the vision vehicle itself not for production. For example, this is not the upcoming electrical M3. Instead, it is a test bed for BMW drive train and driving dynamics technology of the next generation, known as the heart of joy. And what I saw and felt was something else than anything I was before.
BMW raises a brave claim here: that this new high -performance tax unit is the way an electric car drives, feels and reacts. To properly test this BMW, everything threw everything on it; 13.269 LB-FT or torque and even the fans pointed to the floor to literally suck the car onto the sidewalk. You can read my full attitude of experience here. But it is enough to say that I start to be a creditor.
The openness of the technology is the key to the success of BMW. Starting with the first model of the new class, we will introduce the new class technologies across the entire future model portfolio in all segments and all drive lines. This also applies to our completely newly developed electronic architecture, which consists of powerful “superbrains” and strongly connected software platforms. This architecture enables us to decouple the development of the vehicle and the software. The advantage: More than ever, all future BMW models will remain digitally up to date via regular upgrades and will also receive updates from the next and subsequent generations of vehicle.
Frank Weber, board member for development at BMW AG
BMW’s “Superbrains” – why smarter is better
The new class from BMW is interpreting the old confusion of control units for four high -performance computers, each of which deals with a main vehicle function. More speed, efficiency and OTA updates – but also more complexity.
1. “Heart of joy” – the digitally driving brain
This superbrain integrates the engine and chassis control and reacts to sharper handling, better energy recovery and smooth driving at low speed in milliseconds. The goal? Precision, less delay. The risk? BMWS is known to the loss of the raw, mechanical feeling.
2. Automated driving – 20 -fold the processing performance
BMW’s new driver assistant system smears four control units into one, which makes automation more smooth and efficient. Do you expect better hands -free functions, but full autonomy? Not yet.
3. The infotainment brain – BMW IDRIVE X takes over
Check the BMW panoramic view, the 3D-HUD, infotainment, navigation and voice commands. KI and Cloud integration promise seamless experience.
4. The backbone – dealing with the essential
Manages climate, lighting, access and over 100+ functions, while data is processed by 50 sensors. This should improve the efficiency and OTA updates, but also basic functions are part of the growing digital ecosystem of BMW.
Intelligent efuses and lighter cabling
One of the most underestimated changes is that Zone architectureWhich eliminates about 600 meters of cabling and beats 30% of the weight in electrical components. This is important – especially for efficiency and repairability. The Smart Efuses Also replace up to 150 conventional fuses and dynamically manage the energy distribution to improve efficiency by 20%.
Now the interesting part: this also means a fundamental Change of the way BMWS are built and serviced. Will independent business problems diagnose problems or will BMW continue to block repairs for proprietary software? The long -term effects of this shift must still be seen.
With the introduction of the new class, we enter into a type of software development in which we achieve software continuity. This means that we continuously develop software instead of starting all over time. Based on our advanced software architecture and the fact that our global development teams generate 130 -more software today than ten years ago, we see ourselves in an excellent competitive position. Our software developers can concentrate more than ever on product innovations.
Christoph Grote, Senior Vice President BMW Group Electronics and Software
The future will come later this year
The gene6 architecture from BMW is undoubtedly a technical leap forward. The 800 V system and the new battery design offer real advantages, and the optimized electronics are a logical step in an increasingly software industry.
However, progress is not always linear – especially when it comes to what a BMW does feel Like a BMW. If all this complexity leads to a separate, subscribed experience, this is a step in the wrong direction. The new class has the potential to redefine the ultimate driving machine – but only if you improve and not replace the properties that BMW made great. Early results are positive, but we will surely know when the first fruits of this work arrive at the end of this year (early next year in North America) in the form of the BMW IX3.
From there, with this new architecture and processing system, which culminates with the first electrified M products in 2027, BMW is slowly for all electric vehicles.
