Latest news with #HeartofJoy
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
BMW Group showcases future innovations
ON its journey toward the Neue Klasse era, the BMW Group presented the innovations of its next-generation vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2025. 'Innovative strength, a pioneering spirit, and sheer driving pleasure - these traits are deeply rooted in BMW's DNA,' said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. 'With the Neue Klasse, our customers experience them on an entirely new level: a more intuitive user interface, even more progressive design, and a driving experience that is more precise and dynamic than ever. By the end of this year, we will put the mobility of the future on the road.' At the heart of BMW's presentation were two key innovations: the BMW Panoramic iDrive smart display and operating system, and the lightning-fast Heart of Joy central computer. BMW introduced the Panoramic iDrive in a version developed specifically for the Chinese market. In collaboration with local technology partners, BMW tailored its Operating System X to Chinese users, offering exclusive digital functions available only in China. The Panoramic Vision display projected content across the full width of the windscreen, creating an entirely new interactive experience. Approximately 70% of the software in the Chinese version consisted of locally developed and adapted code, reflecting BMW's commitment to its 'China for China' strategy. Exclusive features included an AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, developed through collaboration with Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Over the course of the year, BMW planned to further enhance this system with 'AI Reasoning by Deepseek,' enabling seamless integration between the vehicle and the outside world. BMW also debuted the Heart of Joy central computer, capable of processing information ten times faster than previous systems, achieving millisecond-level latency. It was responsible for driving dynamics such as propulsion, braking, charging, recuperation, and partial steering functions. BMW unveiled the Heart of Joy inside the BMW Vision Driving Experience, a high-performance test vehicle developed as a 'rolling laboratory.' This one-off machine generated up to 1.2 tonnes of downforce and 3G of lateral forces, levels comparable to Formula 1 cars. The Vision Driving Experience showcased an innovative luminescent paintwork, which recharged in daylight and glowed in the dark with colours ranging from neon yellow to pink gradients, depending on ambient light and UV stimulation - highlighting BMW's creative and technological edge. Although the Vision Driving Experience was not intended for production, the Heart of Joy system would power all Neue Klasse all-electric BMW models starting with the launch of the iX3 from the new Debrecen plant in Hungary later this year. A China-specific version, developed by BMW's Shanghai design team, would follow in 2026, produced at BMW's Shenyang plant. The MINI brand also made a strong appearance at Auto Shanghai 2025. The highlight included the debut of the new John Cooper Works model generation. Paying tribute to MINI's illustrious motorsport history, a classic Mini that competed in the Monte Carlo Rally and the MINI John Cooper Works Pro - winner of last year's Nürburgring 24-hour race - was displayed. Completing MINI's lineup were the new MINI Cooper Convertible, which celebrated its market debut in China, alongside the MINI Cooper 3 Door, MINI Cooper 5 Door, and the MINI Aceman.
TimesLIVE
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
BMW unveils a smart concept car with an amazing 18,000Nm of torque
BMW has presented its brawniest and brainiest prototype to date at Auto Shanghai in China, the world's biggest car show. Boasting an astonishing torque output of 18,000Nm, the BMW Vision Driving Experience (VDX) is a concept car that has been undergoing testing on roads and racetracks in recent months. It showcases technology to be featured in the German brand's next-generation Neue Klasse electric vehicles, including the new iX3 and 3 Series. It boasts a lightning-fast 'Heart of Joy' control computer, which works in conjunction with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack to centrally calculate all driving dynamics functions. With this new super brain, the VDX converts the ultimate electric power into controlled driving pleasure, says BMW customer, brands and sales manager Jochen Goller. 'The first all-electric Neue Klasse vehicles will roll off the production line at the Debrecen plant in Hungary from the end of the year. The Heart of Joy central computer, which ensures a new level of precision and driving dynamics, will be fitted as standard in every Neue Klasse vehicle.' With its combined torque of up to 18,000Nm from four electric motors — one for each wheel — the VDX is described as the fastest test rig in the world. It's a mobile laboratory that pushes the Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control — both developed in-house by BMW — to their limits. With active aerodynamics, the concept car develops a downforce up to of 1.2 tonnes and lateral forces of up to 3G — on a par with Formula 1 and far beyond the requirements of regular road cars. BMW says that if the hardware and software can tame the brute forces of the test rig, they will easily cope with the demands of everyday use. The Heart of Joy is the central computer responsible for driving, braking, recharging through recuperation and some steering functions. It enables 98% of braking operations to be carried out using brake energy regeneration — a 25% increase in efficiency compared to today's architectures. The vehicle can also be brought to a standstill more smoothly than before. Though the VDX is only a test rig, BMW says its exterior is based on the design language of the Vision Neue Klasse with a monolithic-looking body, powerful wheel arches, recessed greenhouse and 'shark nose' front end. It has a new interpretation of the characteristic BMW radiator grille and twin headlights with a striking, three-dimensional light signature. For Auto Shanghai, the concept car, which had previously been covered in camouflage, was given an innovative self-illuminating paint finish. The paint has light-sensitive pigments that recharge in daylight. In the dark, the colour varies from a whitish yellow to an expressive neon yellow, depending on the state of charge.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Electric BMW 3-Series Will Pack a Supercomputer Called 'Heart of Joy'
The BMW Vision Driving Experience is the latest concept to preview the upcoming Neue Klasse EVs, one of which will be an electric variant of the next-generation 3-series sedan. The concept's bodywork and interior are an evolution of the , with sharp lighting and a full-width screen on the dashboard beneath the windshield. The concept features the "Heart of Joy," a so-called "superbrain" that will control the driving dynamics functions in the Neue Klasse vehicles. A new BMW 3-series is imminent. Previewed by the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, the new iteration of BMW's long-running sports sedan will come in both traditional gas-powered and electric forms, with the latter expected to adopt the i3 moniker. Now, BMW has revealed a new concept, the Vision Driving Experience, to hint at some of the systems that will be found beneath the sheetmetal of the electric Neue Klasse model and which promise to preserve BMW's famed driving dynamics. BMW insists that the Vision Driving Experience itself is not bound for production, although the body looks like an evolution of the Vision Neue Klasse concept and is not too far off from the spy photos of the next-generation 3-series. There are a few differences, however. The integrated headlight and grille element is thinner than the concept and there's a large opening in the lower front bumper, presumably to cool the batteries. Despite the similarities, BMW instead calls the concept a "rolling test rig for drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology." The concept houses what BMW calls the "Heart of Joy," an over-the-top nickname for the control unit that handles the drivetrain, braking, charging, regeneration, and steering functions. The Heart of Joy will be found in every electric Neue Klasse model, BMW says, which presumably includes the upcoming iX3 electric SUV as well. The Heart of Joy is one of four central units in the car's electronics architecture and marks the first time that drivetrain and driving dynamics functions have been combined into a singular unit. Not only does BMW claim that the system will make driving more enjoyable, but the automaker also says it will lead to better efficiency and range. Developed entirely by BMW, the Heart of Joy works in conjunction with the brand's Dynamic Performance Control software to manage driving functions. The control unit reportedly processes information 10 times faster than the company's previous units, with BMW claiming that the response is nearly immediate, with latencies in the milliseconds. The integrated braking and energy recuperation control allow drivers to avoid applying the conventional friction brakes in most scenarios, BMW says, instead relying on regeneration. This is claimed to increase efficiency by up to 25 percent. The company also says that stopping and restarting is seamless, regardless of whether the car is in D or B drive modes, using active cruise control, or using the Auto Hold function. BMW is using the concept to experiment with color-changing wheels to demonstrate how the Heart of Joy system is working, showing green for acceleration, blue for energy recuperation, and orange for friction braking. Although BMW didn't specify how this illumination occurs, the company has experimented in the past with color-changing body panels. The color-shifting i Vision Dee concept used "E Ink," the same technology found on the screens of e-readers, for a chameleon-like effect. The Heart of Joy will be one of four "superbrains" that will control future BMWs. It will be accompanied by three other computer systems that control things such as automated driving, climate control, vehicle access, and interior and exterior lighting. BMW also showed photos of the Vision Driving Experience's interior, previewing what to expect from the 3-series EV. A large, unusually shaped hexagonal screen sits in the center of the dashboard. A thin display stretches across the width of the car, providing info such as time and speed. A similar setup was showcased in the Vision Neue Klasse, Vision Neue Klasse X concept, and the Panoramic iDrive system shown at CES 2025. BMW has confirmed the first Neue Klasse model will start production later this year at the company's plant in Debrecen, Hungary. The new 3-series—which will utilize this Neue Klasse platform and pack the Heart of Joy control unit—should debut sometime in the next several months. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW's New Concept Is a Teaser for Radical Performance EVs to Come
The BMW Vision Driving Experience may not have a particularly exciting name, but what that moniker disguises is the car's purpose: it's a test bed for BMW to show off its latest and greatest electric vehicle driving capabilities. And yes, it also looks a whole lot like what we'd imagine a Neue Klasse-platform M3 might be, but BMW is rather explicit when it says this Vision Vehicle will not go into series production. Unfortunately, there's little hard info on the vehicle that BMW says took 12 months to build, but let's breakdown what we do have. BMW claims the quad-motor test car develops 13,269 pound-feet of torque, but this is surely the highly misleading 'wheel torque' figure that GMC used when it unveiled the Hummer EV. There's no way to translate that into a more traditional motor torque number to put it into perspective. Active aerodynamics – yes, it seems to be a fan car – shove the Driving Experience into the ground, with BMW quoting an astonishing 2646 pounds of downforce and maximum lateral forces "exceeding 3G." BMW also gave me a more hands-on method of determining performance: letting me ride alongside M Motorsports Works driver Jens Klingmann at the Experience Center track in Spartanburg, South Carolina. First impressions? This thing is Tesla Model S Plaid / Lucid Air Sapphire levels of quick. I'd wager it'd run a 0-60 mph sprint in the low twos, and there isn't much letup once you break into triple-digit speeds. Horsepower and torque are surely into the four-digit realm. Its exterior speaks for itself, with the design clearly a branch off the Neue Klasse tree, only ramped up in aggression beyond what we'd even expect from a traditional M car. The widebody, massive front maw, enormous diffuser and tall rear spoiler all scream race car-for-the road. Shockingly wide 325-section-width Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires provide one hell of a stance, and piles of grip. The interior is stripped, race car style, with four bucket seats and not an ounce of sound deadening. It's almost jarring to see BMW's Panoramic iDrive infotainment system onboard, but the new screen and pillar-to-pillar display is functioning in this test car, too. The main point of the Vision Vehicle, though, is to serve as a proving ground for a new computer BMW calls the 'Heart of Joy.' This computer is responsible for management of the acceleration and braking, vehicle stabilization, dynamic steering functions and charging alike. Previously, control for these would be managed by four separate computers from various suppliers, increasing complexity and introducing limitations to the system. BMW claims the in-house-built Heart of Joy processes information 10 times faster than its current control systems, giving it all sorts of advantages. One of the big ones BMW details is brake recuperation and more refined stopping. Engineers tell us the Neue Klasse can recuperate about 60% more energy than current BMW EVs. The stopping power of the electric motors is much higher with this fully integrated system; BMW suggests the physical brakes will only ever be used in emergency stopping situations. Ultimately, the brand says this new braking system can account for a 25% system efficiency increase. As for the added refinement, BMW touts the use of recuperation once more, as you'll be able to stop without any squeaks or chirping from the brakes. You'll notice the Vision test vehcile has lights in its wheels; these indicate acceleration in green, recuperation in blue and friction braking in is great, but the Heart of Joy's main purpose is to imbue 'BMW's characteristic driving pleasure' into every Neue Klasse model. BMW is a bit coy with specs and figures, but the meat of the matter is power management and strategic use of recuperation and braking. For example, on a racetrack, BMW will shift recuperation power around between the front or rear axle under braking, depending on all the external factors being thrown at it. It's taking in every human input along with data like whether you're heading downhill into an off-camber turn or uphill in a flat corner. The Heart of Joy is processing all this information faster than any of us could think through it, then working its magic in the background to make the car handle better by anticipating and quelling understeer and oversteer. Then, when you hop back on the throttle, the power management system can apply torque to give the VDX that classic BMW rear-drive feel. The quad-motor setup allows for total control over how power is distributed, allowing the EV to maintain the agile profile we're accustomed to in M cars, but also enabling it to accelerate out of corners with the silly sort of zip one expects from this absurd amount of power. Can we say mission accomplished yet? Klingmann sure seemed like he was having a blast in the Vision Driving Experience as he cycled through various modes that changed both the power level and the amount of hooliganism allowed. It's impossible to give a yay or nay from just watching, but I can confirm both straight-laced time-optimized hot laps and endless, smoky drifts are on the menu. The initial vehicles with The Heart of Joy installed in them will be Neue Klasse platform cars, with the first one set for production to begin this year. Every Neue Klasse EV will take advantage of the new tech, though it's clear you'll need a performance car to realize its full potential. Preferably, that comes in the form of an electric M3, M5 or some other yet-to-be-named M EV car. This future looks promising, and it's surely only a matter of time until BMW translates the Vision Vehicle's incredible capability into a production machine. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
View Photos of the BMW Vision Driving Experience Concept
Read the Full Story The BMW Vision Driving Experience concept is the latest in a line of vehicles that preview the next iteration of the BMW 3-series, with the iconic sports sedan set to feature both traditional gas and electric powertrains. The concept car's bodywork has a lot of similarities to the Vision Neue Klasse concept from 2023, including the split-grille design that is integrated into the headlights. There are a few changes, however, with the aforementioned grille and headlight setup becoming thinner than before and sitting above a large air intake in the lower bumper. Underneath the muscular bodywork lies a powerful new control unit, which BMW calls "Heart of Joy." This supercomputer controls all driving-related functions, including drivetrain, braking, charging, regeneration, and steering. This is the first time drivetrain and driving dynamics will be handled by a single control unit, BMW says. The Heart of Joy processes information 10 times faster than BMW's previous control units. The concept also features illuminated wheels, which change color depending on whether the car is accelerating, using the friction brakes, or using regenerative braking. The cabin also previews what to expect from BMW's upcoming EVs, showing a similar setup to what was found on the Neue Klasse concepts and to the Panoramic iDrive system the automaker recently showed at CES 2025. BMW says the first vehicle to ride on the Neue Klasse platform will start production in Hungary later this year. Keep scrolling to see more photos of the BMW Vision Driving Experience concept. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
