BMW's 'Vision Next 100' Is A Cool Shape-Shifting Concept Car Which Predicts A Driver's Behaviour

BMW is currently celebrating its centenary and as part of those celebrations it has revealed its concept car the Vision Next 100—and it's insane. It's a vision of a future that features fully autonomous vehicles with artificial intelligence that learn from, and so predict, a driver's behavior.

It also has something called Alive Geometry which consists of 800 moving triangles featured in the dashboard and on the side panels on the outside. These shape-shifting forms communicate to the driver what the car is doing, warning drivers of oncoming cars or warning passengers about upcoming turns or braking.

"They involve the driver in a form of preconscious communication, where an intuitive signal predicts an imminent real-time event." said BMW. "Although at present it remains difficult to imagine how hundreds of tiny triangles could be coordinated to make Alive Geometry work, in the years ahead it will be possible, as today's standard vehicle manufacturing methods are replaced."

As well as this more abstract form of communication the car's windshield would also feature as one giant augmented reality display, showing weather and road conditions.

Other details include wing doors which open automatically, while the steering column retracts into the dash via sensors that recognize the driver when they approach. Looking at the pictures you might also be wondering where the wheels are, well they're hidden behind triangulated shields that change the shape of the car as the wheels turn, cutting down on drag.

The car will also feature two driving modes, Boost and Ease. Boost mode means the driver is in control of the car and choosing it would automatically move the seat and steering wheel to give the driver a safer view and the central console would move across so various settings could be interacted with via gesture control.

While on Ease mode the steering wheel and console retract, the headrests move to the side and the Heads Up Display would let passengers browse the internet or watch a movie. "Depending on the driving mode, the focus of the vehicle changes, concentrating on essentials for the driver in Boost mode, and the surroundings and atmosphere in Ease mode, highlighting the impressive landscapes or buildings of interest that the car is passing by, for instance." says the company.

The concept car is due to go on a world tour with scheduled appearances in Beijing, China, London, UK and lastly in Los Angeles, USA.