BMW Won’t Develop Autonomous Cars Without Pedals Or A Steering Wheel

BMW says it isn’t developing any cars without a steering wheel or pedals, despite the ongoing rise of autonomous technologies.

Speaking to Carscoops during the Geneva Motor Show, BMW spokesman for Corporate Communications and Politics, Wieland Bruch, said future BMW models will remain driver-focused.

“The whole reason why there is BMW as a brand is that customers individualize their products and that they come with emotional appeal.

“Our key to success in the future is that we must keep driving as an individualized and emotionally aspirational topic. We can also say that if a BMW model can drive autonomously, it will still come with a steering wheel and the customer has the choice.

“We have no car under development where there are no pedals or there is no steering wheel,” Bruch confirmed.

Speaking on the same topic, head of Product and Brand Communications at BMW, Eckhard Wannieck, gave the example of the bold Vision Next 100 Concept from two years ago as to how future BMW drivers will have the choice of driving if they choose. Despite the concept’s other-worldly design, it had a steering wheel and pedals.

“The key message of this car was that it still has a steering wheel. BMWs will always have a steering wheel and you have the driver orientation where the focus is on the ultimate driving machine and ultimate driving pleasure,” he said.

Not all brands share BMW’s commitment to traditional driving controls. Volkswagen, for example, recently unveiled its I.D. Vizzion concept as the flagship of its I.D. range without a steering wheel or pedals.