Bmw Bike Future
BMW to crowdsource the design of its megacity-centric future car
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What will the 2025 BMW be like? No one knows for sure, which means your guess is more valid than you might think. With this in mind, BMW wants to crowdsource a future version of the BMW and Mini and is running a pair of contests seeking ideas for cars that will be used in the megacities of the future.
Entrants in the BMW Urban Driving Experience Challenge need to conceive of features that would work on a premium car in a future setting and take into account "impending lifestyle shifts in the urban environments." One contest runs through October 16 and another kicks off in November. There are only a few rules, but do note: "Feature or Function must be somewhat realistic i.e. must be grounded in some science. Vehicles that are driven telepathically from a distance, for example, are not realistic." Sorry.
The "megacity" is a hot button for automakers. More young adults (millennials) plan to stay urban when they have children. They may gravitate to bigger cities to find better opportunities. The more cities attract young, talented people, the better the economy and standard of living for everyone. (Republicans call this the trickle-down effect: the windfall on Wall Street translates to a better standard of living for street sweepers and shoe shines.)
Rally Fighter
In the future pollution will be a big issue, so cars may need electric propulsion. Parking is a challenge as well, so small cars are preferred, and they should know where the parking spaces are. Cars spend more time parked than driven, so car-sharing will be increasingly likely. These are exactly the sort of ideas BMW wants so that their cars can take advantage of the implications of megacity living.
BMW is partnering with crowdsourcing pros Local Motors of Phoenix to run the contest. Local Motors already has a crowdsourced, on-sale car to its credit, the Rally Fighter. It's a $75,000, 420-horsepower vehicle you and a friend build yourself in a week in a micro-factory with the help of a guru. The finished product looks somewhat like a Chevrolet Camaro mated with a dune buggy.
The top prize is $7500 and a trip to Munich. Another nine runner-up prizes add up to another $7500, and then BMW and Local Motors runs the contest a second time. To enter you'll need to submit a design sketch and can amplify your idea with a video or animated GIF.
Looking for ideas? Consider the needs of today's urban motorist: safety at low speeds, finding parking, finding the best time to drive in or out of the city, or dealing with charging the batteries of EVs or plug-in hybrids. Maybe there's a technology that lets the car slide into itself and get smaller when parked. Or better yet, a working technology that telescopes the car in some way — the idea has been on wishlists for decades. Or a car you can park upright. Maybe the car stows a folding bicycle or e-bike that gets you to and from the parking place. You'll definitely want a smartphone app that reminds you where you parked.
Automakers have long done focus groups, but you can't volunteer to be on a panel, and the panelists react to what the automakers show them. So the ability of any one individual to effect change is minimal. BMW is also looking for change from entrepreneurs who want to change the nature of mobility in the urban environment and set up a $100 million global venture fund, BMW i Ventures, in lower Manhattan.
Read more on the BMW Urban Driving Experience Challenge
Source: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/137343-bmw-crowdsource-megacity-future-car
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