59 BMW Group Report 2024 To Our Stakeholders Combined Management Report Group Financial Statements Responsibility Statement and Auditor’s Report Remuneration Report Other Information Overview of the BMW Group Virtualisation For the BMW Group, the virtualisation of products, processes and interaction spaces are a catalyst for digitalisation, reflecting the fact that the combination of rapidly developing technologies such as Web 3.0, artificial intelligence, X-reality (virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality) and spatial computing gener- ates benefits across all areas of the value chain. Our activities comprise the following three pillars and underline the BMW Group’s commitment to innovation: — Corporate. The virtualisation of internal processes, methods and products with real-time collaboration, regardless of lo- cation For example, as part of the BMW iFACTORY, planners can use virtual reality to virtually assess buildings, systems, lo- gistics and the assembly of new production areas and test processes in 3D, long before construction is scheduled to begin. — Commercial. Interaction with both new and existing tech- savvy target groups in virtual spaces and virtual worlds. Engagement on digital platforms enables experience-ori- ented inter-action with young target groups (Gen Z) within their digital ecosystems with the aim of enhancing brand im- age and developing long-term customer loyalty. In dedi- cated virtual worlds, innovative products can be experienced in a new way and supported throughout the entire customer journey. — In-car experiences. Enhancing the quality of experience with a focus on infotainment, productivity and gaming. With the M Mixed Reality approach, for example, a team of engineers at BMW M GmbH has developed an immersive driving experience for the BMW M2*, M4* and BMW i5 M60*, which is made available to BMW M Driving Experience cus- tomers. Wearing VR goggles, drivers can be immersed in a virtual world while driving the real vehicle. In addition, the BMW Group has set new standards in varied in-car enter- tainment with the launch of the innovative casual gaming platform Air Console in numerous current BMW and MINI models, in particular with games such as UNO Car Party!. Worldwide cooperations and partnerships To ensure its long-term success, the BMW Group enters into tar- geted cooperations and partnerships with companies from vari- ous industries. Several of the Group’s largest collaborations and investments are listed below: Since 2022, the BMW Group and Qualcomm Technologies have been working together to develop solutions for the next genera- tion of automated driving. The companies aim to develop tech- nologies ranging from New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) solutions and advanced Level 2 driving assistance systems to the Level 3 functionalities of highly automated driving. The joint development of software functions is based on BMW’s current software toolkit for automated driving. Within the terms of the co- operation, some 1,300 specialists will work together at various locations worldwide, including sites in Germany, the USA, Swe- den, China, Romania and the BMW Test Centre in Sokolov in the Czech Republic. Continuing their long-term supplier relationship, the BMW Group has collaborated with Valeo Comfort and Driving Assistance SAS since early 2023 on the joint development of highly automated parking functions. Since the launch of the first BMW voice assistant (BMW Intelli- gent Personal Assistant) in 2018, voice interaction has become an increasingly important part of the BMW iDrive display and op- erating concept. The next generation of the voice assistant is based on Alexa Custom Assistant technology. This new technol- ogy has been included in vehicles ex-factory since 2024 and is available for previously manufactured automobiles via a remote software up-grade, facilitating an even more natural dialogue be- tween drivers and vehicles. The HERE mapping service was acquired by BMW, Mercedes- Benz and Audi in 2015. Bosch, Continental, Intel, Mitsubishi (MC), NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation of Ja- pan) and Pioneer are also current shareholders. The participa- tion in HERE ensures access to scalable, high-resolution maps for existing and new vehicles as well as geodata services and navigation software. Mobility services offered by the BMW Group Together with Mercedes-Benz, the BMW Group offers mobility services via the YOUR NOW joint venture. The range of services provides customers with access to various modes of transport other than their own vehicle. Apart from taxi cabs and private ride services, various types of e- scooters as well as car-sharing vehicles can also be booked via the FREE NOW app in European cities. FREE NOW also pro- motes the electrification of the vehicle fleet. Almost half of all journeys taken in taxis and personal hire vehicles (PHVs) were in vehicles with hybrid or all-electric drivetrains. The majority of multi-mobility journeys (e-scooters, e-mopeds, e-bikes, car shar- ing, car rentals) in the past year were emissions-free. The BMW Group offers a range of additional mobility services in the My BMW or MINI app. Through its cooperation with SIXT, for example, customers can access mobility services with exclusive special benefits. This BMW add-on mobility offering is currently available to BMW and MINI customers in a growing number of markets. * ↗ Consumption and Carbon Disclosures.