BMW may be offering a redesign of its iconic postwar microcar, the Isetta, to compete with contemporary micros such as the Smart and the Fiat 500. The original Isetta was powered by a rear-mounted motorcycle engine that delivered about 12 horsepower, and on the base model the only door was its swing-away nose panel. Modern safety regs would prohibit this front-entry design, but the new Isetta would retain the egg-shaped silhouette of the original. The redesign is only in the earliest conceptual stages at the moment, and BMW may not make a decision on it until 2010.
BMW calls it a revolution in automotive electronics. Researchers at the car maker are working on an automotive electronics system based on the Internet Protocol (IP), which they claim will simplify bus system communication.
Their conclusions are surprising. According to BMW, its researchers have shown that a network based on the Internet Protocol will support security-critical applications in real-time as well as simultaneously enabling high-throughput multimedia applications.
An IP automotive electronics system would not only standardize protocols; it could also open the doors for further advances. Workshops could apply updates to vehicle electronics systems without having to modify any hardware, and it would make it much easier to develop Plug & Play solutions for vehicle entertainment systems, something that is lacking in today’s vehicles.
The system would also allow car designers to respond more quickly to the development cycles of entertainment system manufacturers - a capability that would appeal both to electronic equipment makers and car builders. There are, however, a number of issues that have not yet been fully addressed. An electrical system based on the Internet Protocol would certainly need to be well screened from external influences. There would also have to be clear proof of the robustness of any IP-based electronics network built into a safety-sensitive product like a car. It will be interesting to hear how BMW responds to these concerns
Here is a great illustration that I did of a 2002. Definitely one of my favorites Bimmers
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