HYPNOPOLIS 2 – the thrilling sci-fi podcast series:

Glyph and Oko track down Jay – a petty criminal and hacker – in the course of their investigation and travel to his secret hideout in an intelligent autonomous capsule. It is of course a neat advantage for our protagonists to be able to concentrate fully on solving their case while on the move, without distractions from frantic traffic situations in the airspace of the future. But it is already commonplace in many major cities around the world to be able to simply get in and travel to your destination of choice. Mobility as a Service or shared mobility concepts ( Read more: The most important terms of “shared mobility”) is the magic formula for maximum flexibility. And in most cases, the nearest car-sharing service such as Share Now is just a click away in the smartphone app. It will be a long time before we travel the world in luxury airships and comfortable submarines, as we do in the podcast.

Electromagnetic trains or maglev trains, on the other hand, will significantly reduce travel times in the near future. Even if a smart sidekick like Drone Oko is still a pipe dream far from being ready for series production, driver assistance systems ( Read more: The most important assistance systems at a glance) and sensors ( Read more: All about sensors) already provide comfort and support while driving. These are important for detecting the vehicle’s environment, and thus for automated driving and parking functions. Radar, ultrasound and cameras already support the driver. These will be supplemented by lidar (light and range detection) in the future. Horizontally and vertically deflected light pulses let the lidar sensor create a precise 3D map of the immediate surroundings, even at night. In addition to the sensors, the sophisticated steering and operating technology ( Read more: Interior innovation) of the all-new BMW iX can already be experienced now, representing just one highlight along the way of a history spanning almost 100 years. During this time, BMW has repeatedly developed groundbreaking innovations in vehicle construction and automobile design. The focus here is also on the BMW i success story ( Read more: The BMW i vision), the idea being to rethink individual mobility holistically and sustainably.

In Episode 4, the investigation leads Glyph and Oko’s team to an underwater installation that uses nanobot technology to clean the ocean. One good example of how to give something back to nature and at the same time guide a region from the coal age into the modern age is the renaturation of the Lusatian Lake District ( Read more: Energy transition: in the Lusatian Lake District with the electric BMW iX3). This is where landscape change meets a sustainable vision. Responsibility for the environment is also the top priority in reality. Being mindful of nature, but with people’s welfare in mind too: That is why BMW has ecological and social sustainability across the entire value chain firmly anchored in its strategy. There is particular emphasis on making sure that the raw materials for production are mined in an environmentally conscious, but also socially and ethically responsible way, or reused sustainably in a continuous cycle. Fabrics are produced from ECONYL® yarns made from recycled fishing nets and other nylon waste to make headliners and floor mats for the BMW i3, the BMW iX and other models, for example ( Read more: Sustainable materials at BMW). Compliance with environmental and social standards as well as human rights, the protection of natural resources and the reduction of CO2 emissions in the supply chain are also top priorities in purchasing decisions.

In the final episode, the savvy Drone Oko makes a spectacular entrance – with electrified wingsuits playing a leading role in the exiting climax. These, too, have already made their debut in reality, but the pioneering flight of Austrian Peter Salzmann in a wingsuit with an electric motor certainly had to be filmed for posterity ( Read more: Wingsuit with e-motor: the making-of). He stepped into unknown territory for “The Electrified Wingsuit” project together with BMW i and Designworks, the in-house agency for mobility concepts of tomorrow for the BMW Group. Flying farther than before and landing safely on a suitable spot, the forward-looking BMW i approach of electric drives and innovative materials and technologies was a perfect complement to Peter Salzmann’s unorthodox but intriguing idea. From electric flying to electric driving, it’s not only about BMW automobiles going electric: The vehicles used in the production process of these e-cars also run on electricity themselves. For example, BMW uses more than 500 electrically powered logistics and production vehicles and transport systems at its plant in Landshut, from tractors and sweepers to forklifts and electric trucks.