BMW has introduced a groundbreaking intelligent electronic and electrical architecture, marking a major advancement in automotive technology. The newly unveiled system, the first of its kind to cover an entire power system and all subdivisions, enhances intelligence, efficiency, and computational power—offering integrated processing capabilities more than 20 times greater than current models.
At the core of this innovation are four high-performance computing units, dubbed “super brains,” responsible for managing key vehicle functions. These include the in-vehicle entertainment system, autonomous driving, driving dynamics, and fundamental operations such as vehicle entry, air conditioning, and comfort settings.
A New Era of Software-Defined Vehicles
With software-defined vehicles becoming increasingly complex, BMW’s latest electronic and electrical architecture lays the foundation for continuous feature enhancements through a stable software platform. The new-generation models will incorporate BMW’s latest software architecture, built on a staggering 500 million lines of code—equivalent to circling the Earth four times.
Each “super brain” runs a dedicated software platform, while a shared service layer enhances cybersecurity and enables seamless over-the-air (OTA) updates. Another key innovation is BMW’s high-speed data transmission system, serving as the vehicle’s digital nervous system. The redesigned regional wiring harness architecture shortens cables by 600 meters compared to previous models, achieving a 30% reduction in weight.
The “super brains” connect to smaller control units via high-speed interfaces, managing real-time data exchange between electronic components across different vehicle sections.
AI-Powered Smart Driving and Interaction
BMW’s next-generation models are powered by four integrated super brains, each dedicated to a critical function:
BMW Panoramic iDrive Super Brain: This unit runs the latest BMW Operating System X and the first-ever panoramic iDrive, integrating a horizon-spanning panoramic display, a new 3D head-up display, and a cutting-edge center console. It enhances user interaction with voice control, navigation, and entertainment, while an industry-first vertical-designed intelligent steering wheel introduces layered information display and touch feedback for an immersive multimodal experience.
Driving Control Super Brain (Heart of Joy): This advanced system achieves an unprecedented level of integration between the powertrain and driving dynamics, with response delays of under one millisecond and data processing speeds ten times faster than before. The BMW Dynamic Performance Control system, debuting in BMW’s pure electric models, ensures unmatched precision in driving control, energy efficiency, and smooth performance at all speeds.
Autonomous Driving Super Brain: BMW’s latest autonomous driving system consolidates previously separate control units into a single high-performance computing hub, offering 20 times the computing power of its predecessor and enabling advanced automated driving capabilities.
Vehicle Control Super Brain: Responsible for core vehicle functions such as entry, climate control, lighting, and software updates, this system integrates 100 vehicle functions and 50 sensors. Intelligent data preprocessing within the vehicle reduces dependency on cloud computing, optimizing real-time responsiveness.
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