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Rinspeed issues its Budii call for Geneva [w/video]

Of all the concepts prepared every year for the Geneva Motor Show, those made by Rinspeed are typically the most outlandish and forward-thinking. And this is the latest from Frank Rinderknecht and company. Though Rinspeed's been known to build entirely original vehicles from the ground up, it tends to base its creations on production models: Following the Tesla-based XchangE from last year, the Smart-based Dock+Go of 2012, the Fiat-based E2 from 2009 and the Lotus-based sQuba in 2007, the new Budii concept is based on the BMW i3. That means, of course, that it's powered by electricity, but the technology demonstrator is focused more on autonomous driving tech. The Budii incorporates a periscopic camera and laser scanner to map the terrain and the road ahead from above, and a drive-by-wire steering system that allows the steering wheel on an articulated column to be passed between driver and passenger or tucked out of the way to let the electronics take over. Once unburdened of the task of driving, the occupants can enjoy the proliferation of touchscreens, the "wellness shower" (whatever that is) installed in the headliner, the automatic watch-winder on the steering column and the interior accoutrements furnished by Mansory. The whole thing rides on a lowered suspension with 19-inch Borbet alloys, with a rainbow Knight Rider-style grille in the nose. But to appreciate the full scope of the consortium of suppliers that collaborated with Rinspeed to bring the Budii to life, you'll want to delve into the press release after the video below and scope out the dozens of high-resolution images in the slideshow above. 2015 Geneva Motor Show: Rinspeed "Budii" redefines human-machine interaction Reach out to robots The vision of autonomous driving will soon become reality and will fundamentally change the interaction of man and automobiles. While the research centers of the automotive industry are still feverishly working on the technical solutions, progressive thinkers such as the Swiss idea factory Rinspeed are already giving concrete thought to how automated private transport will transform the car and the man-machine system. Besides fundamental conceptual changes, this will also have to involve issues of ethics and society. In the past, the robots in the factories of this world merely assembled cars for people. In the new "Budii" concept car from Swiss automotive visionary Frank M.

BMW calling in 76k vehicles over airbag issues

Vehicles these days are typically fitted with a mat in the front passenger seat that determines whether that airbag needs to be activated in the event of a collision and how it should deploy. But that system doesn't always work, as Mercedes recently found in its SL-Class roadster and as Suzuki did before it with the Grand Vitara and SX4 crossovers. Now a crop of BMW vehicles have befallen the same issue, prompting the Bavarian automaker to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a recall for the vehicles in question.
The problem affects precisely 76,565 vehicles, including certain the 3 Series (sedan and wagon), 5 Series, 7 Series and X5 crossover families spanning the 2006 and 2007 model years and fitted with a certain type of seat. However, since the parts to repair the problematic components are not currently available, as you can see from the recall notice below, it won't be until March 2014 when local dealers will be able to resolve the issue.

BMW unleashes 160-hp S 1000 R streetfighter motorcycle

BMW Motorrad released the S 1000 RR superbike in 2010, but for those who'd like to take it down a (small) notch, the German motorcycle maker introduced the 2014 S 1000 R, a slightly less-ballsy version of the range-topping superbike, at EICMA on Tuesday.
In its transformation from 193-horsepower superbike to 160-hp sportbike, BMW detuned the 999cc inline four-cylinder engine a bit by lowering the redline from 13,000 RPM to 11,000 RPM, where peak power is made. Torque is rated at "approximately" 83 pound-feet (the RR makes 82.5 lb-ft), but more importantly, engineers tweaked the torque delivery in the R's favor by redesigning the cylinder-head ducts, modifying the camshaft profiles and reprogramming the engine management system. The result is seven lb-ft more torque than the RR up to 7,500 RPM. The R's torque peak occurs at 9,250 RPM.
The bike comes standard with ASC (automatic stability control) and "Race" ABS. Riders can choose between two modes, "Road" and "Rain," which adjust ABS and ASC settings to suit dry or wet roads. DTC (dynamic traction control) is available as an option, and with two modes, "Dynamic" and "Dynamic Pro," the system optimizes traction and helps riders achieve maximum acceleration.