for new era of selfdriving cars
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

BMW revamps R&D

For new era of self-driving cars

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today For new era of self-driving cars

BMW logo
Munich - Arab Today

BMW is overhauling its research and development activities to focus on self-driving cars, board member Klaus Froehlich told Reuters, a move which includes a revamp of its "i" sub-brand of carbon-fibre based electric vehicles.

The company is updating its zero-emission vehicles after a lackluster response to its only fully battery-powered car, the i3, which recorded only 25,000 sales last year. By contrast, Tesla already has more than 370,000 orders for its Model 3.

To help improve sales, BMW is increasing the battery range of its i3 city vehicle by 50 per cent this year.

Its next full-fledged new electric car model is not due until 2021, but the Bavarian auto maker is also planning to build a new version of its i3 electric car to be released by 2018, a source familiar with the matter said.

"It is a sportier brother for the i3," said the source, who declined to be named.

Rival Tesla is due to release its Model 3 in 2017, and as rivals Porsche and Audi are working on all-electric cars for release by 2019.

A new BMW flagship model with autonomous driving capabilities will follow in 2021. As a result, Froehlich is increasing the proportion of software and technology experts.

Today, software engineers make up just 20 percent of the 30,000 employees, contractors and suppliers that work on research and development for BMW. Within the next five years, BMW wants to raise that proportion to 50 per cent of overall R&D staff.

In an interview at the company's headquarters in Munich, BMW board member Klaus Froehlich, who is in charge of development, said he reorganized company-wide research and development in April.

"It is now in ramp-up stage. We call it Project `i Next'."

As part of its push in autonomous driving, BMW is hiring experts in machine learning and artificial intelligence. It is also integrating the functions of existing computer-driven assistance systems like cruise control, emergency braking, lane-keeping support and automatic parking.

The revamp follows high-profile staff defections from the "i" electric car division this year. Dirk Abendroth, manager of BMW's "i" powertrain group; Henrik Wenders, vice president for product management BMW "i"; and Carsten Breitfeld, vice president engineering, head of the i8 vehicle program, were poached by a Chinese electric vehicle startup.

RIDE-HAILING

With a fully autonomous vehicle, BMW could launch a ride-hailing business without having to pay drivers, Froehlich said. That would give carmakers a competitive edge over ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft, which are eroding car sales by making part-time use as convenient as ownership.

Earlier this month, Toyota Motor Corp said it would invest in Uber, and Volkswagen announced a $300 million investment in Gett, a smaller ride-sharing company.

BMW may partner with a ride-hailing firm, too, particularly in markets like China. But the Bavarian carmaker is still working on its strategy on potential partnerships with such companies, Froehlich said.

Sales of highly autonomous vehicles - those where permanent active input from the driver is not required - are not expected to take off until 2020. But they could then rise to around 9 million a year by 2025, according to analysts at Exane BNP Paribas.

China, the world's largest car market, is likely to be the market where autonomous cars will first emerge on a large scale, Froehlich said.

"China is extremely fast implementing technology. Last year more electric cars were sold in China than in all the other global markets combined," he added.

BMW is also considering expanding in the area of reserving parking spaces and electric car-charging stations over mobile phones, a market which is still fragmented within countries. The carmaker has already invested in ParkNow and Parkmobile, two digital parking and payment services.

"We want to actively participate in a consolidation process," Froehlich said.

Source: TradeArabia

arabstoday
arabstoday

GMT 02:49 2018 Thursday ,18 January

BMW aims to reignite US car sales

GMT 03:37 2018 Saturday ,13 January

BMW drives to new sales record

GMT 03:15 2017 Sunday ,24 December

US tax reform promises big income

GMT 12:26 2017 Monday ,11 December

German prosecutors probe BMW diesel

GMT 11:01 2017 Thursday ,16 November

Urban, young and active?
Arab Today, arab today

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

for new era of selfdriving cars for new era of selfdriving cars

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

for new era of selfdriving cars for new era of selfdriving cars

 



GMT 12:47 2016 Thursday ,01 September

'La La Land' musical masterpiece dazzles Venice film fest

GMT 12:42 2017 Monday ,20 February

Dalia al-Behairy begins 'Yawmiyat Zoga Mafrosa'

GMT 19:01 2017 Wednesday ,30 August

Oil prices down as US reels from Harvey

GMT 04:19 2017 Monday ,08 May

National forces attack mercenaries in Taiz

GMT 19:21 2017 Sunday ,07 May

Iranian Film Week opens in Baghdad

GMT 21:33 2017 Sunday ,30 July

Arab Quartet meeting kicks off in Bahrain

GMT 17:17 2016 Friday ,07 October

Aleppo bleeds as US and Russia spar

GMT 12:03 2015 Monday ,21 December

Nepal protester killed in constitutional crisis clash

GMT 09:47 2016 Thursday ,22 December

Trump vows to cut F-35 spending, as leaked memo

GMT 21:44 2017 Friday ,15 December

King establishes Hawar Development Committee

GMT 20:57 2017 Tuesday ,16 May

Naval Forces rescue 23 tourists in Hurghada

GMT 12:56 2017 Monday ,11 December

Lyon leave it late, Balotelli with Nice winner

GMT 06:18 2017 Thursday ,19 October

Russian delegation meets with Julphar chairman

GMT 21:20 2017 Monday ,23 October

Nasr, delegation of London Stock Exchange
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday