BMW has been busy with its 100th birthday celebrations and has brought out a vision for its MINI brand. Dubbed the Mini Vision 100, it is the company’s take on how autonomous shared mobility will evolve in the years to come.
Similar to the BMW Vision 100 concept car that was showcased earlier this year, it gets a changeable exterior skin that will morph according to each owner’s preference. This could possibly include colours, shapes and even cabin design. The system will go one step further to include custom drive maps and cabin preferences.
Such a system will help overcome the current challenges faced by those who use fleet vehicles. The German automaker already runs a fleet programme with both BMW and Mini cars in the UK and the US and this, by the look of things, is their future vision for the programme.
The car showcased in the pictures has all the noticeable Mini design cues like the chunky wheels, round headlamps, low roof and rather plump backside with a single Mini logo in the centre. Inside, there is a minimalistic cabin with the iconic centrally mounted speedo and two-spoke steering wheel. Beside the driver, there is a small gauge which can be rotated to choose different owners/drivers.
We in India are a long way off from opening up to the idea of sharing cars or entering them into a fleet usage model, so such a concept too will be quite alien for us. However, in developed car markets like Europe, such a vehicle will surely help enhance the overall experience.
