The age of self-driving cars is arriving earlier than we first thought and hot on the heels of Tesla, BMW have officially unveiled its concept for its first self-driving electric car. Coined the Vision iNEXT, the German automotive company is addressing the question: “What does a vehicle look like which no longer needs to be driven by a person but can be if desired?”

With the luxury and aesthetic of the BMW brand, the exterior is similar in size to the SAV body, with interlinked double-kidney grille, four-eyed front end, panoramic roof, iconic side window graphic, and finished off with familiar blue accents. The external mirrors are replaced with cameras and is rounded out with aerodynamic 24-inch wheels, with two large doors on either side, opening into a spacious interior.

The iNext offers two individual seats in the front with a large bench, ideal for two passengers, in the back. Purus Rosé, brown, and beige hues are largely used throughout the interior, noting a blend of cloth and wood materials.

Credit: BMW

And in terms of technology, the self-driving car allows the driver to either drive themselves in “Boost” mode, or be driven in “Ease” mode. The only screen that can be found in the BMW iNEXT comes from the driver’s area, and only becomes visual when needed by the driver or passenger. Additionally, persons in the car can access the Intelligent Personal Assistant function, which is connected to the BMW Connected, smart devices, and smart home networks.

Not too far away, the BMW iNext vision is set to become available to the public in 2021. For more information on the upcoming technology, check out the website here, and the video below.