What electronic development will have the greatest impact on BMW cars in the next few years?
Dance: The transition from a 12- to a 42-V infrastructure, which we expect to be phased in slowly about two to three years from now, will have an immense impact on vehicle functionality. It allows not only the replacement of mechanical or hydraulic systems by electrical systems, but its greater power output capability will allow BMW to develop totally new functions, like variable-steering assistance, electrical braking and engine stopping/starting in stop-and-go situations, electric valve trains, electric motor assistance (high torque for startup acceleration) and hybrid drive trains, plus many other customer-relevant features. The resulting safety, performance, emissions, and economy benefits will be considerable. ED: How will BMW’s X-by-wire efforts affect such things as driver interaction and the “feel” of driving? Dance: We have drive-by-wire pioneering experience and the basic concepts haven’t changed that much since then. We’ve learned that the real added value is embedded in the
