Important for BMW and other car makers not just to invest in future tech (no brainer) but for them to start truly appreciating and supporting their installed base so that come 100000km their users don't just fall off the map (value from retrofits, better support, allowing users to buy more single components, opensourcing some components for 3D printing for older cars etc). This will keep the brand and enthusiasm alive vs. skinning consumers in the hopes that they will buy a new car that is less of a headache to maintain. Client service is still #1. Tesla has generated a lot of hype. They still have a long way to go. As an example every year we hear about how the laptop is killing the desktop or tablet is killing the laptop not taking into account massive installed bases and that these figures are often based on very heavily 'interpreted' quarterly SALES figures - not the fact that a high end machine can last many years and processing power has now become 'enough' for many... There is a lot of airtime behind Tesla because of great PR and media latching on 'to the future' as a talking point.
Tesla cars are currently bought by the wealthy. How they scale down will be interesting to watch as well as how other manufacturers panic amidst a combo of hype and reality from Tesla and now Edison. They have not yet got it right. Meanwhile whilst the computer that thinks it is a car (what tesla is hyped to be) is perfected for the masses, all the other manufacturers have ever improving infotainment systems and systems that can do what Tesla has been doing for a while now (updates, auto bookings, feature improvements).
BMW has two extremes (one with supercar looks but arguably without the go and dowdy awkward mini hatch that still needs a motor to be useful in SA) in the electric segment at the moment and active-hybrids that are neither here nor there. They definitely need this wake up call. However at the same time there is a lot of future predictions that are actually a lot further away (certainly from mass consumption) than the internet would have us believe. Again as the saying goes, the future is already here... it is just not evenly distributed.
An interesting read to close:
http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-stock-bubble-just-got-terrifying-2017-4
