- 'Heart of Joy' control unit will make its debut on Neue Klasse models.
- New marketing campaign alters the nervous system of an octopus.
- No actual octopus harmed in the making of the video. It's not real.
BMW has chosen an octopus as the metaphor for its new "Heart of Joy" control unit, in a new marketing campaign. Heart of Joy will be used for the first time in the forthcoming Neue Klasse models.
Not just any octopus, mind: it's Okto. An octopus uses a decentralised nervous system to enable independent control of individual parts of its body - "much like a modern car has separate control units for braking, acceleration and steering," says BMW.
Right then. In the new BMW brand video, the scenario is reversed: Okto the Octopus is given a central nervous system and then moves in a synchronised, precise and controlled manner to perform an underwater waltz, while simultaneously avoiding hazards.
This stands as "an analogy for the way the Heart of Joy will intelligently coordinate key driving functions in future BMW vehicles, starting with the Neue Klasse models," says the company.
The Heart of Joy combines with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack to centrally control the powertrain, brakes and recuperation as well as some steering functions.
Compared to previous systems, the new control unit processes driving information around ten times faster and responds more directly to the driver than ever before.
The Heart of Joy was showcased at Auto Shanghai, as part of the BMW Vision Driving Experience.
