Car makers BMW and Mercedes on Wednesday showed off at the Paris Motor Show scooters that use your iPhone as the driver interface. The Smart eScooter shown above sports a carved out well that affixes your phone in place, allowing designers to forgo the traditional dashboard altogether and replace its functionality with an iPhone.
The phone connects to the scooter’s electronics through a 30-pin dock connector to retrieve a bunch of data so you can monitor various stats on the phone’s touchscreen. Matter of fact, your phone is also an onboard computer, navigation system, and jukebox. BMW’s Mini Facebook page advertises the iPhone-powered vehicle as an electric, urban scooter available in three versions and sporting an effective range of 100 kilometers (about 60 miles).
Der Spiegel reported that the scooters employ front and rear LED lights and sport ABS transmission, airbags, and electronic surveillance blind spots. According to 9to5Mac, it takes about three to five hours to recharge the scooter’s lithium-ion batteries. The scooters will sell under the Mini and Smart brands.
BMW showed off its concept Mini electric scooter with a 60-mile range.
The BMW group also released the free Mini TV app for iPad that provides access to the entire library of the Mini-themed viral clips, ads, interviews, and other promotional footage. BMW Motorrad USA is another free app released yesterday for iOS devices that lets you use the BMW Motorrad USA Roadside Assistance service which comes standard for three years with every new BMW Motorcycle purchase in the US.
Finally, BMW showed off yesterday the iPad cradle that replaces back-seat DVD players. The company promised to have it as standard in all BMW series cars beginning Spring 2011.
