As BMW continues developing its electro-mobility technology, the automaker realized that something needed to be done to address an issue that continues to arise with EV drivers. When charging stations are utilized at various locations, people tend to leave their vehicles plugged in for the remainder of the workday, longer than needed to allow it to fully charge. This is why BMW recently hosted a electro-mobility hackathon, bringing together 80 software developers and computer programmers that could work on making electric charging more sustainable.
Among the scenarios discussed, one that was addressed was when a driver is in need of just a quick charge only to find that another vehicle is still plugged into the station. A probable solution would be to create a way that allows the driver to be contacted to see if it's okay to unplug their vehicle to allow another to charge, and then be plugged back in once the other charge is completed.
A total of 15 different smartphone apps were created that would tackle this issue, each one offering a solution to improve communication when it comes to efficient electric vehicle charging. They competed for $3,000 of prize money that was awarded across seven different categories for the apps that demonstrated the most creativity and practicality.
The EV hackathon proved to be a success and allowed some great ideas to be developed that would further advance BMW in the world of green technology. To stay up to date on the latest related news stories, be sure to continue following our BMW blog.
We also encourage you to come visit our Hendrick BMW Northlake dealership conveniently located in Charlotte, NC. We'd be happy to show you what our new BMW inventory has to offer and answer any questions you may have about the latest advanced technologies that come on board. Feel free to stop in anytime during our normal business hours!