BMW’s iNext electric, self-driving car is set to enter showrooms in 2021 as the brand’s flagship model.
The addition to the automaker’s i subbrand, which currently includes the i3 EV and i8 plug-in hybrid, will be able to drive itself in many situations, CEO Harald Krueger said in comments prepared for the company’s annual shareholders meeting in Munich today.
The sedan will have a new interior and offer a cutting-edge electric powertrain, Krueger said.
The new car is the centerpiece of BMW’s effort to defend its position in the luxury-car market from challengers such as Tesla Motors.
The iNext will be “our new innovation driver, with autonomous driving, digital connectivity, intelligent lightweight design, a totally new interior and ultimately bringing the next generation of electro-mobility to the road,” Krueger said.
BMW unveiled the Vision Next 100 futuristic self-driving concept car in March that explores the automaker’s ideas for how automobiles will evolve as autonomous vehicles.
BMW is in the midst of shifting strategy under pressure from Tesla as well as traditional rivals like Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
In addition to the iNext, BMW is expanding into mobility services as owning a car becomes less important to city-dwelling consumers. The company started a car-sharing service in Seattle last month that offers the option of a chauffeur service as well as people renting out their own vehicles.
