BMW has announced and is showcasing a new concept car at the BMW Museum. The car’s name, GINA, is an acronym that stands for “Geometry In ‘N’ Adaptations”. The acronym reflects the cars ability to alter the form and ‘character’ of its skin in ‘n’ number of ways.
Instead of metal or fiberglass, the body of the car is made of a flexible fabric that is stretched over a movable wire-mesh frame. The fabric is made of a polyurethane-coated Lycra. Prioritizing context and creativity over dogma, GINA challenges our notions of what automotive aesthetics and structures can and should be. The new body material results in lower total vehicular mass, improved fuel efficiency and production that requires less total energy inputs (less mining, metal refining, etc.)
Additionally, the skin material offers BMW designers, engineers and car owners new opportunities for individual expression. With simple mechanics, the shape of the car can be altered to add, for example, a rear spoiler or fins. Taking a cue from Philips, BMW could explore LED lighting embedded into the skin of the car. Car owners could personalize the colors and patterns of their cars exterior using energy efficient LED lighting. Video, text messages and photographs could replace the custom paint jobs and decals of the past.
Certainly the concept raises many questions. What about security (from theft) and safety (in collisions)? These question will certainly be pursued by BMW engineers and their partners. With such an inspiring degree of courages, vision and creativity I believe they are up to the challenge.
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