BMW to show all-electric concept during centennial celebrations?

BMW, a company whose slogan is “the ultimate driving machine,” might celebrate its 100th anniversary by unveiling a fully autonomous concept.

The yet-unnamed concept will primarily be built to showcase the Munich-based car maker’s self-driving technology. The software will essentially be ready for production, but it will be installed in a concept that’s expected to boast a highly futuristic look. Whether it will be a coupe, a sedan, a SUV, or something else entirely is anyone’s guess at this point.

Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales and marketing, told British magazine Autocar the rumored concept doesn’t indicate a fully-autonomous BMW is right around the corner. He points out the technology still has many legal and moral obstacles to clear before it enters production, and he expects that its arrival is at least 15 years away.

“In a situation where a truck is going to hit your car, what does the autonomous car decide to do: save you by swerving out of the way, swerve into the path of another vehicle and possibly kill someone, or hit a pedestrian, or does it simply decide that, yes, the truck is going to hit you? We’re not ready for that,” said Robertson.

BMW will celebrate its 100th anniversary on March 7th, so more details about what kind of party the company is preparing will trickle out in the coming months.

What’s next?
BMW is open to the idea of building an all-electric high-performance coupe, but executives explain the model won’t arrive in time for the centennial celebrations because battery technology hasn’t reached the point where offering buyers range and performance in a lightweight package is possible. Finally, the company has ruled out building a V8- or V10-powered sports car.