Mini is celebrating its parent 100 years with a special concept, unveiled in a press conference, called ”BMW, the next 100 years”. The concept tries to showcase the digitalisation and the connectivity of future Mini cars also having a particular take on car-sharing.
In the future, fans of the brand will be able to call on a Mini tailored to their personal requirements where ever they are, day or night. The Mini of the future will be available 24/7, able to pick its driver up from their desired location in a fully automated way and will adapt itself to the driver’s individual tastes, interests and preferences. At the heart of this concept is fully connected digital intelligence.
Called Mini Vision Next 100, the concept is wrapped in a discreet, silver skin. The Mini designers refer to it as a “blank canvas”. How that canvas is used varies according to the individual user, their mood and the situations they encounter. Even the colour of the roof and the lighting mood in the interior respond in kind.
The Cooperizer is the name the Mini Vision Next 100 gives to the centrally-positioned circular instrument that has become such a signature feature of MINI cockpits. In the Mini Vision Next 100 it illuminates like a kaleidoscope.
The colours and patterns it generates symbolise the car’s multi-faceted digital intelligence, which allows it to select a personalised setting for each driver, encompassing entertainment, communications and autonomous-driving options. On the move, the driver can influence the Cooperizer’s decision-making, as the rotary controls allow adjustments to the interior ambience and driving mode.
Various aspects of the Mini Vision Next 100 will take the go-kart feeling to another new level. Cleared of many controls and screens, the interior has a pure, uncluttered look. And the glass front end opens up a dynamic view of the road. Here, augmented reality displays show the route or ideal driving line, heightening the driving sensation.
