BMW Vision Driving Experience Previews Neue Klasse Production Cars

This radical-looking thing is the BMW Vision Driving Experience. Under the skin is a high-tech management computer and software which the German brand claims is 10 times faster than previous systems.

The BMW Vision Driving Experience is essentially a rolling test rig for a new-generation of computer management technology. BMW went to great lengths to point out that this creation won’t be put into production, but you can expect some of the design elements to reach the Neue Klasse series of vehicles.

The first of the fully-electric Neue Klasse units will be revealed towards the end of 2025 from our understanding and the production will be at the BMW Group Plant Debrecen which is in Hungary.

Back to this outrageous-looking thing. The BMW Vision Driving Experience has a piece of tech inside it known as the Heart of Joy. Essentially, this small black box is the control unit for the drivetrain, brakes, charging, brake recuperation and steering functionality. BMW claims it can process data and information 10 times quicker than the current systems. It’s able to compute the entire driving dynamic functionality with previously unheard of speed and precision.

The Heart of Joy allows four important control units to be brought together within a single high-performance computer. Functions like drivetrain, driving dynamics, braking were all previously separated and had their own algorithms.

Cynically, and based on current cars experiencing minor software glitches, you could be concerned that there’s too much digitalisation at play here – I know I am. Have we gone too far? What is the point of such advanced computing power in a car? BMW reckons that due to the Heart of Joy, the vehicle’s will be nicer to drive with more engagement in the sportier derivatives and lets not forget the efficiency benefits too.

As for the vehicle itself, there’s a crazy amount of grunt on offer as BMW is trying to push the limits. No power figure was given, but 18000 Nm was claimed with BMW saying that if the computers can process and handle these outrageous outputs, then it should be able to handle daily driving with ease.

But one of the coolest functions we’ve ever seen on a concept has to be the illuminated wheels which change colour based on current function. Acceleration is green, energy recuperation emits a blue colour and hard braking goes orange.

The camouflage of the BMW Vision Driving Experience will be removed at the Auto Shanghai 2025 which takes place at the end of April.