BMW's new era starts with 4 vision concepts in new promo

Over the course of 2016, BMW Group unveiled a quartet of concepts that looked forward to the brand's next century in business. These Vision Next 100 models from BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad are now meeting up in a short film highlighting the firm's optimistic estimation about the future of the ultimate driving machine.

BMW foresees getting around in the future a highly connected utopia. People only have to drive when they actually want to. For the rest of the time, a vehicle comes and picks a person up automatically. If you get tired of concentrating while behind the wheel, the on-board computers can take over at a moment's notice.

Each one of BMW's Vision Next 100 concepts focus on a slightly different aspect of future transportation. The motorcycle is arguably the winner of the group in terms of its aesthetics. The electric bike has a frame that looks like black V, and the powertrain has packaging that evokes the brand's classic boxer twins. The cycle also has self-balancing feature, so there's no need for a kickstand to ruin the beautiful lines.

Mini's version takes on the challenge of imagining what a shared car might look like. Rather than owning just one of them, people would pay for access as a ride-sharing vehicle for every example in the city. The cabin would customize itself to the user's preferences upon picking up the person, and the system could even greet the client with a message on the ground.

Where the Mini would likely appeal to younger city dwellers, BMW's take on the future of motoring aims more at families. It's slightly shorter than a modern 5 Series, and the electric powertrain creates ample room in the cabin. The driver can also activate an autonomous mode when the time comes for relaxing.

The Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 goes even further by completely removing the steering wheel and pedals. The cabin is a massive lounging area, and a voice-controlled screen stretches across the area for the traditional dashboard.

In the much nearer future, BMW has a lot of new products on the way, like a roadster possibly called the Z5 and X2 high-style compact crossover. Plus, the i8 and i3 are due for a refresh