BMW's first Neue Klasse model will enter production later this year, signaling the start of a new generation of cars from the German automaker. Enthusiasts are interested in the gritty details like horsepower and 0-60 times. BMW's new Vision Driving Experience electric prototype, a high-performance test rig, reveals the automaker also wants to maximize the platform's computing power with its "Heart of Joy" central computer.
According to BMW, the new, in-house developed "superbrain" integrates controls for the drivetrain, braking, energy recuperation, charging, and steering into one unit that processes information 10 times faster than previous systems. This will allow drivers to take corners with "exceptional precision," requiring "fewer control inputs."
Drivers will be able to maintain a vehicle's line with "greater precision and stability" while having consistent and smooth cornering behavior, which, to us, sounds a lot like taking the fun out of the driving experience and digitally sanitizing it.
A car's imperfections and the fight against the limits of physics create the joy we feel behind the wheel. Otherwise, cars will begin to feel the same if every tiny aspect of the driving experience is controlled with the precision of a computer, as automakers chase perfection instead of personality.
The new computer's extra processing power will allow BMW to make a more efficient EV. The company says that the computer allows a vehicle to most sustainably use its energy, including during energy recuperation. BMW claims its regenerative braking system in the Vision Driving Experience test rig increases efficiency by up to 25 percent. Drivers won't need conventional brakes in most normal driving situations.
BMW says it has no intention of turning the prototype into a production vehicle. It's a test rig for the Neue Klasse platform to test the possible limits. It has 13,269 pound-feet of torque, according to BMW, which is intended to test whether the control system can handle that much instant power. If it can, it's fit to hit the road and the upcoming range of Neue Klasse, although we doubt the flashy, light-enabled wheels won't make it into production anytime soon.
Source: BMW
