Of course, that doesn\u2019t mean BMW isn\u2019t still going its own way. BMW has to rely on software and digital functions; in a world sans combustion engines and hydraulic steering, it\u2019s the only way for the brand to make a mark on drivers. \u201cDigital functions\u201d is a huge umbrella term that \u2014 as we know from BMW\u2019s Heart of Joy<\/a> \u2014 could pertain to almost anything about the car. Be it menu buttons or steering feedback, Post claims BMW has processed as many as 200,000 software builds per day. All the more impressive considering a single vehicle has around 500 million lines of code, according to Post. BMW also keeps things in-house: in the past (and currently), rivals like Volkswagen and Mercedes have sought deals with Rivian to grapple with software woes. Not the case with BMW.<\/p>\n New software is literally at the heart of everything the brand\u2019s doing. After all, MINI and Rolls-Royce<\/a> will see the same (or similar) Neue Klasse changes in the near future. \u201cWe don\u2019t develop technology just for one brand, but for our entire portfolio,\u201d Post said. Finally, Post credited Neue Klasse development as a chance to \u201crethink carmaking from the ground up.\u201d Bold language, and it begs one to remember that Neue Klasse is more than just iDrive X. After all, it\u2019s not unlikely to see iDrive X across gas and EV offerings.<\/p>\n Perhaps understandably, Post also criticized the European Union\u2019s laser beam focus on sourcing local content for production. \u201cYou can\u2019t assume battery plants will appear overnight,\u201d he said. One can\u2019t help but draw a parallel to the U.S. tariff situation, where many other brands are scrambling to come up with local production routes in order to remain profitable. Post also highlighted BMW\u2019s localized efforts at global design<\/a>, saying that a single global technology stack is unlikely to materialize any time soon.<\/p>\n With electrification only ramping up, it stands to reason that BMW would pivot from designing around powertrain configurations. Similarly, with the mid-size SUV eroding away sedan sales \u2014 and coupes and convertibles adding up to an even smaller fraction of sales \u2014 its hardly the time to design around specific body styles. Like it or not, BMW\u2019s emphasis on software is likely the reason a new BMW still \u201cdrives like a BMW\u201d \u2014 even if it isn\u2019t exactly how you remembered it being in 1999.<\/p>\n![\"iDrive](\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-idrive-x-06.jpg\" "\\"bmw-idrive-x-06\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nBMW Wants a Global Economy<\/h3>\n
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