BMW has unveiled its new NUMBER ONE>NEXT strategy aimed at setting new standards for connectivity and automated driving.

Management board chairman Harald Krueger told the company's annual accounts press conference here in Munich today (16 March) that BMW Group will move into a new era in which "we will transform and shape both individual mobility and the entire sector in a permanent way".

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Under the banner of BMW iNEX, Kruger said the group will expand its 'i' range of vehicles and bring new forms of automated driving and digital connectivity together with a new generation of electric mobility, lightweight construction and "trailblazing" interior design.

From this year onwards the BMW Group will have seven models in its range which will be either purely electrically powered or feature a combination of internal combustion engine and electric motors as plug-in hybrids.

Further models will follow including a plug-in hybrid Mini while there will be an open top version of the i8 roadster. By the end of this year, the EV portfolio will be increased to include an i3 with increased battery capacity and range.

Meanwhile, Kruger said the group is continuing to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology with current test vehicles achieving a range of 700km (437 miles).

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With project i2, BMW is embarking on an ambitious path towards automated and fully networked driving with a clear focus on high definition digital maps, sensor technology, cloud technology and artificial intelligence.

Kruger said: "We are convinced individual mobility will remain a fundamental human need. According to forecasts, new car registrations worldwide are expected to reach 100m by 2020, including a growing premium segment. At the same time, mobility is going to change dramatically thanks to new technological advancements."

This is highlighted by the increasing importance to the group of mobility products such as DriveNow, ParkNow and ChargeNow and Kruger said more products will be added this year.

Apart from services it is developing in its own right, the group is also investing in a number of promising start-ups and service providers via BMW i Ventures which enables it to act swiftly to identify and respond to global mobility trends.