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Mark it down in your diaries, the day of reckoning for cars as we know it has been set for 2021.
BMW has revealed plans for the release of its first completely electric, self-driving and fully-connected iNext vehicle, which is set to be called the i5 when it goes into production.
A new developmental base is to be set up outside of Munich, dedicated to the development of the company's autonomous technology with plans for a total of 2000 employees by its completion.
The German brand has plans to start undertaking real world autonomous road tests in the Munich area from 2017.
BMW isn't going to outsource the creation of its autonomous tech like other companies but will employ a large team of software developers - currently at 600 - to build its own systems.
This all falls under BMW's new Strategy Number One Next which was showcased earlier this year.
The iNext will form the centrepiece of this new strategy along with a target of 500,000 electric car sales annually from 2025.
BMW has well and truly upped the stakes while other car brands such as Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz and tech companies like Uber and Google push ahead with their own driverless car trials.
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4 Comments
After decades of building cars you would want to drive (but perhaps not own) why does BMW imagine the public want a driverless car with a double kidney grille. Toyota has a better chance after years of building cars for people who don't care what they are driving as long as it is reliable, safe and good to own. Volvo and Mercedes also have credentials based on being front runners in safety. Microsoft should not apply (BSOD). Uber, Google, Apple, Panasonic, Sony et al should cooperate and not compete. Tesla has a head start but what key strategic difference does it hold that will allow it to maintain that lead?
BMW's are fully reliable, they are cheap and they are safe, not to mention way better to own than a Toyota. I have 2 and they are both very good. You say that people want a driverless Tesla, but not a driverless BMW. Why? I know that when the i5 is released I will almost certainly be buying it. I don't think you've ever owned a BMW, so you shouldn't be commenting about how terrible they are.
An autonomous car will be as interesting as the sofa, refrigerator, or vacuum cleaner. You can bet that governments will have a big say in how they work. It will be about rule following not breaking. Having an autonomous car sitting around all day/night to drive one person from home to work and then back again makes little sense. Uber is an early entrant to this industry for good economic reasons. I believe I praised BMW and was thinking about the 540i (new), M3, M5 and 635CSi when making the statement. I hope your luck with the marque continues.
I have been driving a Model S Tesla for 9 months. Pure driving pleasure. As for autonomous driving, I can't wait. by 2025 we will wonder why we ever drove cars, rather than sit in them and do whatever else we need to do while they drive us. There will remain I am sure some die hards who will form clubs and drive cars in relegated areas (similar to V8 enthusiasts today). By the way, Tesla's lead is formidable, the other are only just realising that and scrambling to catch up.