As a completely new concept between bicycle and motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY taps into new ideas for urban mobility in the future. It is one of five different concept vehicles that the BMW Group will display at the IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich to showcase its vision of individual mobility in and around an urban setting.
BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY and BMW i Vision AMBY
AMBY stands for “Adaptive Mobility”. The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY and the BMW i Vision AMBY interpret urban mobility on two wheels based on differing facets. Both vehicles are electrically powered with three-speed levels for different types of road. The drive allows up to 25 km/h on cycle paths, up to 45 km/h on inner-city roads and up to a top speed of 60 km/h on multi-lane roads and out of town. While the BMW i Vision AMBY as a high-speed pedelec requires constant pedaling to gain assistance from the electric drive, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is accelerated using the throttle grip and has footrests instead of pedals, like a motorcycle.
The modes available to the rider are stored in an app that connects to the respective AMBY vision vehicle.
Manual selection of the speed level is conceivable, as is the detection of the road by means of geofencing technology, thereby allowing automatic adjustment of the top speed. As there is currently no legal basis for such a vehicle with a modular speed concept, the idea behind the AMBY vision vehicles is to prompt legislation that will enable this kind of set-up. In this way, the BMW Group is demonstrating that it will continue to be involved in providing mobility options in big cities in the future and offers innovative solutions.
“The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY takes us into new territory. For us, the focus is on user behavior – the question is: how will customers want to get around in the future? What will they expect their vehicle to be capable of? This was precisely the starting point of our deliberations. Our aim was to develop an extremely emotional vehicle for smart mobility in and around the city that offered maximum freedom. The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY really does enable our customers to experience urban life in a whole new way, cover distances more flexibly and “break free” of the city from time to time, too. At the same time, BMW Motorrad is consistently pursuing its electromobility strategy for urban conurbations. It’s a fascinating introduction to the world of BMW Motorrad that also promises maximum riding pleasure,” explains Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design BMW Motorrad.
The design
The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is an enduro-style motorcycle with chunky treads on both the 26-inch front wheel and the 24-inch rear wheel with its more rounded tire. The Vision AMBY is designed to go anywhere. The firmly integrated seat with a height of 830 mm is just as typical a motorbike feature as the fixed footrests.
The seat also acts as a design element over the flat, rising upper frame section. This produces a completely new look for BMW Motorrad – a link between e-bike and motorcycle worlds. The large energy storage unit and drive unit form a dark graphic block at the center of the frame.
The large-dimensioned bicycle fork on the front wheel features protectors and gives the entire front section a more massive, powerful look. A small headlight with the U-shaped BMW Motorrad light signature is a clear reference to the roots of the concept, as is the double LED element as a taillight. Another feature is that the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is accelerated from the handlebars, as is customary on a motorbike.
With a total weight of just 143 lbs., the Vision AMBY is significantly lighter than other motorbikes, ensuring it offers excellent maneuverability and agility.
The smartphone
The specially developed app enables the user to activate the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY for riding, read in their stored driving license classes and make use of the appropriate insurance cover on an on-demand basis as required. In this way, the app performs the classic key function while also making use of the traditional identification options provided by the smartphone such as Face ID. Basic functions and status queries (e.g. current charge status) are available in the BMW App. Further developments and adjustments to the software can be provided to customers at any time via over-the-air updates.
The smartphone shown in the vision vehicle charges inductively on the magnetic holder in the rider’s lower field of vision. These connectivity options would also allow anti-theft protection and the freely programmable immobilizer to be offered.
Geofencing
Instead of choosing the riding mode yourself, geofencing technology combined with the detailed HERE map service could provide the required parameters for automatically adjusting speed levels (25/45/60 km/h) and the matching insurance cover. This technology enables the vehicle to detect the type of road, cycle path or slow-traffic area currently being used so that the maximum permitted speed can be automatically adjusted.
In this way, the Vision AMBY would transform from a vehicle like an S-pedelec to something that is more motorcycle-inspired. The user cannot override the mode. The required license plate takes the form of an innovative display surface, so the mode selected at any given time can be easily recognized and read by other road users.
The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY shows one manifestation of what the modern, urban mobility of tomorrow might look like. It is intended as a blueprint to drive forward conversations about future-oriented travel in cities.
Source: BMW of North America, LLC
