BMW vision future luxury integrates augmented reality display

BMW vision future luxury integrates augmented reality heads-up display
all images © BMW

in early april 2014, BMW invited designboom to munich for a sneak peek of the ‘vision future luxury’, a high-tech four-door saloon that foreshadows the company’s forward-looking fusion of exclusivity and innovation. emphasized in the concept is the precisely engineered exterior design with lightweight materials and refined interior craftsmanship, which seamlessly integrates the user interface and driving experience together as a whole.

 
‘the design of the BMW vision future luxury is the messenger of our philosophy of modern luxury, one in which innovative technologies play a key and vital role,’ explains karim habib, head of BMW design. ‘these innovations deliver a new, multifaceted luxury experience that spans intelligent lightweight engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user interface design.’

the exterior design showcases the advanced study of aerodynamics and innovative lightweight engineering. the coupé style roofline and sloping boot lid, for example, significantly reduces drag. the facade of the BMW vision future luxury includes aerodynamic detailing such as an ‘air breather’ system at the rear of the front wheel arch, a C-pillar with internal air channeling, and openings in the rear apron which vent air from the wheel arches.

the BMW vision future luxury measures just over 5 meters in length

‘innovative technology and modern luxury have always been an important part of BMW’s brand DNA,’ says adrian van hooydonk, senior vice president BMW group design. ‘we use visionary concept vehicles like the BMW vision future luxury to show where we may be going with these themes in the future, and to give us new inspiration and motivation. the BMW vision future luxury – with its innovative technologies and with meticulous precision and quality in every detail – takes our thinking on modern luxury a logical stage further.’

image © BMW for designboom

image © BMW for designboom

clean and simple in design, traditional BMW front-end design elements still proclaim the identity of the ‘vision future luxury’, with twin kidney grilles and BMW laserlight headlights. in years to come, the technology will pave the way for a flat and dynamic interpretation of the typical BMW twin round headlamps, which are up to ten times more intense than that of an LED system thanks to a concentrated, parallel light beam system.

image © BMW for designboom

image © BMW for designboom

the carbon fiber layers are clearly visible in the doors, under the seats and in the completely pared-down B-pillar. because of this innovative design element, the carbon construction allows the seat frames to be integrated into the load-bearing structure.

image © BMW for designboom

image © BMW for designboom

as at the front, the body styling is deliberately understated, allowing the innovative, narrow and slender lights to make a powerful statement; the horizontal lines of the side profile glide gently away at the rear. for the first time on a BMW, the rear lighting is provided by efficient OLEDs. the system consists of wafer-thin organic semiconductor layers positioned between two electrodes. the light-emitting polymer layer measures approximately 400 nanometres thick, which is roughly 400 times thinner than a human hair.

image © BMW for designboom

 
with the vision future luxury, BMW has completely re-invented their primary driver display, a ‘contact-analogue’ heads-up display. this technology augments one’s view of the real world by projecting information directly within the line of sight when looking at the road. buildings, traffic signs and even hazards can be highlighted directly in a real-world scenario. front passengers also receive their own information display. the touchscreen is connected to the driver information display, where information can be easily exchanged between the occupants using swiping movements.

as with the interior, a new-style user interface design and BMW ‘connected drive’ services tie together the ‘vision future luxury’ programme. in the driver’s and front passenger’s area, defined lines and surfaces create a sense of exclusive dynamism. when in the front cockpit, the principal user is surrounded by a wrap-around cluster of three inter-meshing displays. this 3D display technology gives the effect that the instrument panel styling appears to carry over into the screens themselves.

image © BMW for designboom

the left-hand display mainly presents vehicle-related information, while in the center, a programmable cluster displays speedometer, rev counter and other information, as well as context-adaptive supplementary data. the right-hand display – the driver information display – provides additional infotainment information. the driver also has the option of controlling all these functions by voice command.

for the interior construction – which is the focal point of the vision future luxury – the specific geometries and functions of each individual component are created from a singular piece and the same layered composite structure, which comprises many different levels and materials. an initial base layer of carbon fiber fabric becomes the base for the user interface; control and interactive displays, and intelligent lighting systems are held together by load-bearing section of aluminum. the top layers feature layers of wood and leather to create a warm and balanced ambiance.

in the back, two rear seat displays are integrated into a carbon fiber structure, with a detachable rear seat touch command tablet. these screens can communicate with the front displays and also with the BMW connected drive services; everything from trip-related information like speed and journey time to information are shown here. the sense of privacy is accentuated by flowing geometry and the use of premium materials such as silk nubuk leather and layered lime wood throughout. strategically placed lighting slats integrated into the timber accentuate the interior space.

image © BMW for designboom