BMW interior design set for autonomous upheaval

Future BMW interiors are to change dramatically for the autonomous era, according to Australian BMW designer Calvin Luk.

Speaking with CarsGuide at the launch of the company’s new $65 million flagship Sydney dealership, Luk said that the car interior as we know it will change in the future as autonomous cars change the automotive landscape and the needs of consumers. 

“Right now we have typically a two-row set up with front and rear seats and passengers in between the wheels and a trunk and an engine at the front. What happens in the future then - do we have two trunks, an engine bay, or is it all brought into the interior?” said Luk.

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The current presence of huge screens could also change in future BMW products as the company focusses on the overall experience and not just the multimedia system.

“It’s about the whole experience at the end of the day and not about what screen you’re looking at. There are experiences on your phone or computer screen. Being a car, it’s going to be about the whole travel experience even before you’re looking at the interior screen.”

The company recently teased a curved interior display.

But while interior screens are likely to change with their functions, the rest of the interior is also likely to change as we move away from actually controlling a car.

“If we don’t have to have such a reliance on interior screens, what do we do with the interior space? Would people prefer to have screens or a lot of space? In an autonomous world, what are people doing - are they looking at their phones, the car’s screen and are they integrated?”

The new 1 Series cabin uses a larger screen than before.

Luk also suggested that while self-driving ability of future BMWs will render the idea of a 'driver' potentially useless, they won’t lose their luxurious feel. 

“But then what’s the experience on the outside - so many people are drawn to BMW because of emotion, status, achievements, luxury, etc. That will not change because there's no 'driver’.”

BMW Australia rcently celebrated the opening of its redeveloped BMW Sydney dealership in Rushcutters Bay in Sydney's east, which reportedly cost $65 million to build and features over 10 electric car charging stations, 46 service bays and 90-minute service options. 

How would you like to see car interiors change in the future? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.