The first of its kind. In partnership with Gauzy, the BMWi Vision Circular show car has reimagined headlight design. The first car to be introduced with dynamic headlights, light is controlled instantly transforming the exterior of the vehicle from a uniform and sleek black panel design with hidden headlights to a dynamic machine as the car starts and light is revealed. The leading performance of BMW automotives is unparalleled in the industry, setting the pace for innovation in design paired with cutting edge technology. As the automotive industry evolves, the materials used to bring designs to life must match the needs of its visionaries. Automotive grade glass with custom thin glazing powered by SPD LCG® Technology integrates seamlessly into BMW’s advanced design. Gauzy provides an intelligent solution for the future of light control nanotechnologies for material science in the automotive industry.
About the technology
BMW has created a new visionary headlight design for its BMWi Vision Circular Showcar, utilizing Gauzy SPD LCG® Technology integrated into automotive thin glazed glass. The allelectric car features dynamic shading headlights that support a futuristic exterior. When SPD is off, the headlights are hidden. When the car turns on, the SPD turns transparent in response to an integrated system, instantly revealing headlights that illuminate the surrounding area. SPD based headlights open new design possibilities that support cutting edge designs. Read more about SPD technology by Gauzy here.
Re-interpreting classical icons – the front end.
“The puristic front end clearly conveys the aesthetic power of circular design. In keeping with the principles of “RE:THINK” and “RE:USE”, the number of parts here has been reduced to the max. Instead of having a chrome surround with bars, the kidney grille has been newly interpreted as a digital surface. The kidney surfaces extend across the entire width of the front end, merging the headlights and grille into an unmistakable “double-icon” that will continue to be a clear BMW identifier. At the same time, the kidney surfaces are turned into a graphic interface. In the future, digital design could make geometric variations in lights and bumpers redundant, helping to reduce the quantity of materials and tools required.
A discreet line graphic on the kidney surfaces constitutes the sole decorative element in the front end. Using a process of intelligent surface refinement, it brings a new and artistic twist to the familiar parallel kidney bar look. This line graphic forms a recurring theme that is also found in the windows, the rear end, the roof, wheels and floor coverings. The BMW i Vision Circular has no other additive trim elements or badging of the sort currently used to signify quality. The brand logo on the front end is engraved and the vehicle badge is laser-etched to avoid using extra add-on parts.”
Read more about the BMWi Vision Circular Showcar on the BMW website here.
