- The new iDrive system will be present for the first time in the Neue Klasse X electric SUV
- A full-width head-up display extends from pillar to pillar
- New, more capable OS X supports technology
BMW has revealed what the infotainment offering will look like on its upcoming range of Neue Klasse electric vehicles at this year’s CES 2025 show. Look away now if you don’t like screens.
The infotainment offering, called BMW Panoramic iDrive, consists of an innovative head-up display (HUD) that spans the entire width of the windshield and transmits information on a black printed surface in the lower section of the glass.
According to BMW, this will not require a specialized windshield, which will keep repair costs down. But most HUD-compatible windshields feature a special coating to improve visibility, and replacing them usually costs more anyway.
The content displayed in BMW’s so-called Panoramic View is highly customizable and drivers can personalize the space to display the content and information that is most important to them, and the vehicle remembers the settings of individual users. A 3D effect ensures that the graphics stand out for both driver and passengers.
In addition to this, there is another 3D head-up display that is located directly in the driver’s line of sight and offers even more content and information which BMW says perfectly complements the full-width panoramic vision module.
For example, the Panoramic View will show details about the current driver assistance systems that are active, while the 3D HUD will offer turn-by-turn directions, should navigation be activated.
The German brand has also introduced a new central touchscreen that is tilted towards the driver. To make it easier to reach and operate for those in control, the display is said to run BMW’s latest OS X operating system, which has been developed in-house for a sleeker and more intuitive user experience.
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It’s based on an Android Open Source Project software stack and allows for high levels of customization, so you can drag, drop and pin your favorite apps, as well as upload personal photos as your desktop background.
Despite the current call by many modern vehicle owners for easier-to-locate physical buttons, BMW has eliminated virtually all of them and instead dedicated much of the functionality to the central touchscreen and multifunction steering wheel, complete with technology. haptics. , surface mounted buttons.
BMW says it’s all part of its new “shy technology approach”, which leverages artificial intelligence and the use of big language models that have been co-developed with Amazon to encourage drivers to use voice commands.
According to the brand, users will be able to use more natural language to navigate to a destination in the initial stages, but with greater levels of functionality later through over-the-air updates.
The introduction of OS If the driver decides to ignore these suggestions, the system will quickly learn to refrain from intervening.
Analysis: Banishing buttons could be counterproductive
Controversially, BMW has said that this panoramic iDrive system will eventually appear in all of its future vehicles, essentially eliminating all traditional physical instrument clusters and buttons. This is particularly pertinent for a brand that once promoted itself as “The Ultimate Diving Machine.”
Soon, BMW owners will be faced with a wealth of information every drive, some of which will be located at the far edge of the windshield, rather than directly in the driver’s line of sight.
Only time will tell if the iDrive Panoramic system is easy to navigate and intuitive to use when you’re behind the wheel, but we already know that several manufacturers have faced backlash for devoting so many important functions to hard-to-locate digital menus or power buttons. haptic feedback. that change their functionality depending on the modes or configurations.
This makes it nearly impossible to gain the muscle memory needed to perform simple tasks like defrosting the windshield with a single touch or locating the radio volume without diving into numerous menus.
Volkswagen, for example, had to go back to the drawing board with its infotainment offering on the ID range of electric vehicles, as many users and critics complained that its sparse interior made key functions almost impossible to locate while you drive… or in the dark.
However, BMW is already envisioning a time when its autonomous driving systems will do most of the heavy lifting and the iDrive panoramic system will essentially become a way for the driver to easily control the situation while enjoying a hands-free ride. nor eyes.
