BMW has been speaking up its forthcoming Neue Klasse vary of electrical automobiles since 2023, and it is now revealed extra data about the important thing element that may form your driving expertise in these autos: a robust digital management unit (ECU) constructed in-house, often called the Coronary heart of Pleasure.
CEO Oliver Zipse showed off the little black box on stage in 2023, in an organization keynote, and on the IAA Mobility trade show. On the time, he described it as a mix of finely tuned {hardware} and software program, and promised the Neue Klasse automobiles that characteristic the tech would really feel like actual BMWs.
The corporate’s now confirmed this ECU will go into manufacturing, and can quickly characteristic in a brand new “taller” mannequin set to start manufacturing later this 12 months.
So what’s the Coronary heart of Pleasure? As with different ECUs present in electrical automobiles, it is the processing unit that manages a car’s numerous capabilities: the drivetrain, steering, brakes, charging, and so forth. BMW says its customized ECU does all this 10x quicker than any ECU you might get off the shelf, since it has been constructed in-house and features a vary of patented management capabilities.
BMW
BMW says the Coronary heart of Pleasure not solely takes on the entire above, but in addition incorporates driving dynamics capabilities like acceleration and braking, car stabilization, dynamic steering capabilities and charging administration. That is made attainable utilizing proprietary software program, which allows “all linked actuators to reply straight and with minimal delay,” and reduces latencies for a extra responsive really feel within the driver’s seat.
BMW
The ECU controls regenerative braking to ship near-instant stopping energy in most situations with out partaking the friction brakes, and the system can brake every particular person wheel for elevated grip. You may as well anticipate about 25% effectivity in vitality regeneration due to this built-in system, extending the car’s vary.
Alongside the Coronary heart of Pleasure, future BMWs will pack three extra ‘super-brains’ to handle automated driving options, the infotainment system and in-cabin comforts.
All of that is being trialed within the BMW Imaginative and prescient Driving Expertise (VDX) take a look at car, a four-motor automobile constructed over 75,000 hours in the middle of a 12 months – and packs a toe-curling13,269 lb-ft (18,000 Nm) of torque. Energetic aerodynamics assist generate greater than 2,645 lb (1,200 kg) of downforce.
Testing the Coronary heart of Pleasure with the BMW Imaginative and prescient Driving Expertise 
No human driver realistically wants that type of torque; for reference, final 12 months’s Ferrari F80, which goes from 0-60 mph in 2.15 seconds, maxes out at 627 lb.ft (850 Nm). In response to BMW, if the management system in its overpowered take a look at mule “can take care of an explosion of energy of this magnitude, will probably be in a position to deal with the calls for of on a regular basis driving with ease.”
You may need to pay shut consideration to the automobile because it goes across the observe within the video above, because the wheel rims inform you precisely what the ECU is as much as with color-coded lighting: acceleration is indicated in inexperienced, regen in blue, and braking utilizing the friction brakes in orange.
BMW
BMW says that it’ll showcase the VDX on the biennial Auto Shanghai 2025 in April. That “taller” mannequin slated to enter manufacturing quickly is probably going going to be an iX3 substitute, and we’ll have to attend till later this 12 months to see what the corporate cooks up in its manufacturing plant in Hungary.
BMW
For those who’re interested in what else you may anticipate from BMW’s subsequent era, take a look at its ideas for new displays and interactive software.
Supply: BMW Group
