MUNICH: The BMW Group is the first automotive manufacturer to launch a completely newly developed digital nervous system for all drivetrain variants and vehicle segments.
It is more intelligent, more powerful and more efficient and will be rolled out for the first time in the models of the Neue Klasse.
Four high-performance computers, also called "Superbrains", consolidate the computing power for the most important customer functions: infotainment, automated driving, driving dynamics, and basic functions such as vehicle access, climate control, and comfort.
The four Superbrains provide more than 20 times the computing power compared to the current vehicle generation and are already designed for upcoming software and function updates, including AI-powered customer experiences.
A fundamental component of the digital nervous system is the radically simplified wiring harness.
It is based on a so-called zonal wiring harness architecture, which uses 600 meters less wiring and brings 30% weight savings compared to the previous generation.
The wiring harness is divided into four zones: front end, center, rear and roof.
The Superbrains are connected via high-speed data connections to smaller control units, the zonal controllers, which manage and consolidate the data flow of the electronics in and out of the zones.
The wiring in the vehicle is therefore zone-related and can thus be shorter, thinner, and lighter.
A crucial prerequisite for thinner and lighter wiring are the so-called "Smart eFuses".
These are digital fuses that replace up to 150 traditional fuses. Smart eFuses can be intelligently programmed for digitally controlled energy distribution to components.
The selective activation of components allows for the design of intelligent power modes for various vehicle states such as driving, parking, charging, and upgrading, in which unnecessary consumers can be identified and switched off.
Thus, the eFuses make a significant contribution to the 20% improved energy efficiency.
