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Anders Warming, Head of Exterior Design BMW, provides the overview about the exterior design and the future of the 6 Series and BMW design directions.

Tags: BMW, BMW 6 series, innovation, design directions, concept, ideas, business, trends

To no surprise BMW’s controller is called the iDrive….a perfect fit for Apple’s iProducts.  Drivers will be able to control music playback and browse playlists, podcasts, and Genius mixes.

Tags: BMW, Apple iOS4, innovation, product launch, interface, ideas, business, trends

Tags: BMW, Milwaukee, marketing, product launch, gran turismo, innovation, ideas, business, trends

Calatrava designed the Milwaukee Art Museum expansion.  This interactive movie will generate the same wings span.  After loading: Click and drag you mouse left and right to “open and close” the wings.  Have fun!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tags: BMW, Milwaukee, marketing, product launch, gran turismo, innovation, ideas, business, trends

Although announced months ago BMW has recently posted details online. To date iPhones are compatible with the 2007 line of vehicles. Its another look at BMW and Apple, two of the most known brands working to provide a seamless integration of their respective products.

BMW was the first vehicle manufacturer to integrate the iPod in 2004. Expect additional auto manufacturers to follow their lead.

Tags: BMW, iPhone, advanced technologies, trends

Under development since 2003 BMW’s ConnectedDrive research vehicles can communicate to one another exchanging information on traffic, weather and road conditions directly from car to car by means of WirelessLAN communication technology.
Traffic information of this kind will supplement telematics services in the future, connecting cars with one another in ad-hoc networks. By adopting an open source model, BMW can now further this technology to other vehicle manufactures.

Through its calculated speed and local coordinates determined by the navigation system, the car acts as a sensor registering and monitoring the flow of traffic. Whenever such a vehicle runs into congested traffic, it recognizes the situation immediately and can transmit a local traffic report by WirelessLAN to other vehicles in the surrounding area, requiring no driver intervention. All other vehicles approaching the congested roadway are therefore able to choose another route in good time, using dynamic navigation to redirect them onto less-congested routes.

This can optimize the flow of traffic not only on the highways, but also on side roads and through small towns. The advantage of ConnectedDrive is the use of ad-hoc networks, as it would not require any kind of communications infrastructure. The vehicles themselves will make up the network and provide the “multi-hopping” of data, allowing unlimited range. Each vehicle, depending on the situation, effectively takes on the role of the sender, receiver, and/or router of information.

Aside from transmitting its location and speed, the ConnectedDrive cars can also send a wide range of additional information. This includes the current status of the low and high beams, the foglamps and hazard warning flashers, as well as the brake lights. More complicated data provided by the anti-lock brake system (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), as well as the ambient temperature can also be sent. This data provides a clear reference to local road or weather conditions that would suggest slippery road surfaces, dense fog, wet conditions or a sudden change in traffic patterns.

Tags: BMW, IPv6, network, Open Source, trends

Its no surprise engineers connect standard PCs to analyze engine and chassis control systems. But the opportunities to configure a multimedia server for the auto’s entertainment system is instep with tomorrow’s demands of mobile communication. Naturally it would be expected that your BMW’s diagnostics would be linked in real-time to your repair shop.

It’s a little spooky to think that your fly-by-wire throttle could be trying to chat with the engine using the same technology that we use to send instant messages, but IP proved itself capable enough even for critical safety functions. The research is ongoing, but BMW’s work bodes well for adding functionality while decreasing costs.

IPv6 supports 340 undecillion devices. If you think desktops, servers, laptops and smartphones your in the ballpark — just add cars. 340 undecillion is 340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 proving there are plenty of device addresses in IPv6 to support every car on the planet.

For BMW’s engineers I have the real question for implementing IPv6 that every geek would desire: Heads up display technology.

So when the car is parked (thinking safety first of course) can the driver surf the web with iDrive? Or would you probably just pass the address to an iPhone? Since BMW already supports the iPhone it makes sense to just pass the address along…but that windshield could be a nice monitor when your out on the road.

Tags: BMW, IPv6, network, advanced technologies, trends