Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 celebrates BMW Group’s 100th birthday

The Rolls-Royce brand was founded in the United Kingdom in 1906, and was known for its hand-built bespoke and luxury auto designs, often used for driving dignitaries and royals. So MINI has begun answering some of the questions that may arise out of these new advances in technology with its latest concept, the MINI Vision NEXT 100.

If the car’s floating wheel pods and 5.9 metre length aren’t enough to ensure a grand arrival, the Vision Next 100 also features a reverse-hinged door and a flip-up roof, which allows passengers to simply stand up and walk out.

Match these pics with an impressive 360 degree video experience (view with Google Chrome browser) and you can see how Rolls are trying to present themselves. The vehicle is unlike any Rolls-Royce ever conceived yet instantly recognizable as one of the automaker’s creations. It seeks to adapt MINI’s signature emphasis on personalization to a future where self-driving cars and car-sharing or ride-sharing services combine to make actually owning a vehicle unnecessary.

Neither BMW’s or Mini’s VISION NEXT 100 concepts are going into production anytime soon, but it does offer a glimpse into what consumers can expect from a future world of autonomous travel from the giant of driver-focused vehicles. “I envision that the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 will play a key role in these people’s lives, guiding and conveying them effortlessly through their life’s journey in an exquisite sanctuary where they can reflect in peace ahead of arriving in the grandest style”.

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its vision of the future – and it’s stunning.

To switch from autonomous driving to manual driving mode, the driver moves the steering wheel from the central position to either the left or right-hand side, depending on where they have chosen to sit.

Taylor mentioned that Rolls-Royce is exploring partnerships with 3D-printing companies that could possibly supply custom-designed body panels. Like any good AI, she will learn about you over time, remembering your preferred routes, restaurants, and apparently even your taste in art. The Vision 100 is a fully autonomous, zero-emissions vehicle, and it serves to underline BMW’s expressed belief that electric drive is the future. Instead, the interior resembles a lounge, with wooden panelling, a deep-pile carpet and a wool-and-silk-upholstered sofa facing a full-width OLED screen that functions as an entertainment and work station. The boot is behind the front wheel!