BMW 2014 Annual Report Download - page 39

39 COMBINED MANAGEMENT REPORT
to the needs of customers and new regulations stipulated
by legislators.
Intelligently designed lightweight construction
Lightweight construction is an essential component of
the BMW Group’s Efficient Dynamics strategy and
firmly embedded in its basic understanding of modern
manufacturing. The consistent use of lightweight mate-
rials in vehicle design is particularly important with
electrically powered cars, as not only the battery capacity,
but also the total weight of the vehicle restrict their
range. In order to compensate for the added weight of
the electrical components, the BMW Group has devel-
oped its LifeDrive concept for BMW i series vehicles,
which is firmly committed to the use of lightweight de-
sign. In this context, the BMW Group has, for the first
time, achieved an innovative combination comprising
an aluminium chassis and a CFRP passenger compart-
ment. Specifically deployed, the material used helps re-
duce total vehicle weight, optimises its point of gravity
and increases the stability of the car’s body. The BMW
Group is currently working on further possible applica-
tions, such as hybrid wheel rims comprising a mixture
of aluminium and CFRP. In the case of the BMW M3
and M4 models, the high rigidity and low weight of CFRP
allows the cardan shaft to be manufactured as a single
piece, without a centre bearing. In addition to achieving
a 40 % weight-saving compared to the previous model,
a further benefit is that the rotating mass is reduced,
thus resulting in a further improvement in response be-
haviour. After more than ten years of intensive research
work and the continual optimisation of the processes,
materials, systems and tools involved, the BMW Group
is currently the only automotive manufacturer with
the
required know-how to utilise CFRP on a large-scale
production basis.
Highly automated driving at the limit
Precise, reliable control of a vehicle when driven at its
dynamic limit is a key aspect of highly automated driving.
Only a system that can safely master all dynamic situa-
tions, including those encountered when a vehicle is
driven at its technical limit, will be able to instil trust and
provide sustained and secure relief for the driver in tiring
situations.
The BMW Group has built an innovative, highly auto-
mated research prototype, which in 2014 demonstrated
the utmost safety at the vehicle’s dynamic limit, thanks
to perfected control technology. On a closed-off race-
track, the BMW test vehicle additionally underlined the
efficiency of a new generation of control systems, which
can actively intervene in key driving decisions and
at
the same time coordinate the electrically controlled
steering with the brake and accelerator. The system
therefore goes one decisive step further than any of its
predecessors. With BMW ActiveAssist, the BMW Group
is playing a pioneering role in implementing safety-re-
lated, highly automated systems. Back in October 2009,
in conjunction with the predecessor research project,
BMW Track Trainer, the BMW Group drove a highly au-
tomated vehicle through the racing line of the “Nord-
schleife” at the Nürburgring racetrack, one of the most
demanding circuits in the world. The BMW emergency
stop assistant research project has delivered further
valuable findings. If the driver fails to react, for example
due to a medical emergency such as a heart attack,
this
feature can switch to the highly automated mode,
steer the vehicle safely to the roadside and automatically
send an emergency call. Back in 2011, the first BMW
test vehicle was already driven on a multi-lane motor-
way
using the highly automated mode. Meanwhile, with
some 20,000 kilometres of testing behind them, the
development engineers have gathered valuable insights
into the behaviour and handling strategies of their highly
automated vehicles.
Research project “Virtual marketplace of the future”
Location Based Services enable users to receive infor-
mation on places of interest, services and events in the
surrounding area – anytime and anywhere. Even while
driving, location-based services and other information
can be a useful supplement, either en route or at your
destination. For that reason, BMW ConnectedDrive al-
ready offers users a whole range of location-based infor-
mation. In future, the vehicle will be able to present the
customer with information and items of interest along
the route, tailored to suit the situation and the user’s
individual preferences. The premiere of the latest gen-
eration of the optional navigation system “Professional”
in the BMW 2 Series Convertible achieved an even
higher level of convenience and reliability in terms of
route guidance. The system, which was first presented
in 2014, updates its navigation data on a regular basis,
several times per year, assuming a new version of map
data is available. The user is required to pay neither