Designing the car of the future – the story behind MINI's VISION NEXT 100

In June this year, as the BMW group celebrated its centenary, MINI unveiled the VISION NEXT 100 vehicle – a concept car that explores the future of mobility. The vehicle has all the design traits of the iconic car, but is equipped with cutting edge technology that enables the driver to personalise the exterior and interior to suit their mood and personal tastes – all controlled with a digital “Cooperiser” that is installed in the dashboard. It’s Nice That caught up with Christopher Weil, head of exterior design at MINI, to find out more about the design concepts behind, and realisation, of the VISION 100.

What was the starting point when you first embarked on the project? How much do you have to respect the heritage of the company without tempering your ambitions for the future?

Mini has a great heritage and a huge fan base. The challenge with the MINI VISION NEXT 100 was to extract that heritage, the core, feeling connected with MINI, and transport it far into the future. To reinvent the car by paying tribute to the fundamental ideas of Sir Alec Issigonis.

How far beyond the technologies currently in development did you look for inspiration? Was there any technology invented specifically for the concept car?

As a designer, I am always attracted by the future and its possibilities. For the MINI VISION NEXT 100 we were more intrigued by thoughts of humanising technology in the future than by the idea of a technological showcase. The seamless connection between the analogue and digital world was an important aspect for us. We believe contact between technology and human beings will be more intuitive and more inviting in the future – the Cooperizer being an ideal example of this.

Communication with artificial intelligence should be warm and inviting. We believe that we will see different ways to display information in the future with different layers of importance. One example of this is what we call “street vision,” where relevant information is projected directly onto the road. Displaying the information in a changing environment underlines the sense of duality as the digital and analogue worlds merge. The door panels also showcase the seamless connection between an analogue surface and changing content.

Translating experiences from vehicle to vehicle is a key idea explored in the MINI VISION NEXT 100. How did you decide what parameters would be set and how did you determine the extent of customisation for each user?

We put a great deal of thought into the benefits of sharing. There are endless possibilities for making the lives of our customers easier and more convenient if you link car-sharing to automated driving. Given this, the idea of sharing was pretty much set in stone from the outset, even though our customers have a closer relationship with “their MINI” than other drivers with their cars. When you look at car sharing nowadays, you have to search for a car and adjust it to your needs. The MINI VISION NEXT 100 does this for you. It seeks you out, recognises your settings and adapts to your needs before you get into the car. Your music, seat adjustments and climate control preferences are already pre-set.

Besides that, we were aiming to create a highly personalised experience for each customer and were exploring how much content people need to personalise in order to feel at home. Every MINI should be your personal MINI. So we came up with the idea of changing and individualising the exterior with signature graphics and customisation options for the Sport Stripes on the roof. Each driver receives a personalised welcome through the combination of a side projection and the exterior door displays, as well as the individualisation of the Cooperiser, information bar and street vision inside the car. We established that this is sufficient to create an emotional attachment between any owner and their car. But it goes further than that. The MINI VISION NEXT 100 treats you like a friend, and gets to know you better all the time. The MINI grows with the experiences you share together. So it prompts the driver with highly personalised suggestions for events, music and so on. Human interaction via the Cooperizer opens the door for conversation-like exchanges.

How big was the team that produced the vehicle? Could you explain the design and production process?

A lot of specialists were involved in the creation of the MINI VISION NEXT 100. Designing the car was an intense and fast-moving process. All the different disciplines – user interface, exterior design, interior design and colour & trim – were tightly interlinked and the people involved worked together closely to create a very holistic experience. This intense interdisciplinary exchange was key to the final design.

What were the biggest technical challenges in creating the new vehicle?

The whole vehicle was a challenge. The MINI VISION NEXT 100 has a minimal footprint and its wheels at each corner, in keeping with the DNA of every MINI. The challenge was to implement our futuristic technology within such a footprint. The glass front end, which was inspired by transparent modern architecture, brought extra richness to the car’s exterior. The glass front was very important to us, as it enhances the MINI’s hallmark go-kart feeling. Drivers have the sensation of literally sitting on the road, creating an intense driving experience.

The future of mobility affects not only vehicle design, but also planning, urban design, sustainability concerns and government policy. How does personalisation fit into this? Is there a trade-off between the needs of the individual (driver) and wider issues about transportation in general?

Car-sharing is very sustainable – and not only as far as saving resources is concerned. Adding automated driving to the mix will free up parking space for the community, e.g. to create green corridors. The MINI picks you up or drops you off wherever needed. Instant personalisation plays a major role in this context. MINI VISION NEXT 100 allows you to choose your individual setting instantly depending on the road you are driving it on. For example, a customer might choose the Mini One setting in traffic jams, whilst they might select the powerful Mini John Cooper Works setting on empty, twisty roads.

What are the biggest challenges facing the automotive industry in the future? How does the MINI VISION NEXT 100 address these issues?

The MINI VISION NEXT 100 will serve up a seamlessly connected experience, when required, and provide the driver with a considerable injection of fun in the process. Closely linking these attributes with zero emissions and a very personal experience is key for MINI.

How do exercises like this influence the thinking of the design team? How might the MINI VISION NEXT 100 change MINI’s approach in general?

Creating the MINI VISION NEXT 100 fired the imagination of the whole team. It opens up new possibilities and shows that MINI has a bright future.