BMW Integrates AR and Panoramic Displays into the Dashboard of Tomorrow

BMW is reimagining its car infotainment experience by integrating a range of new technologies. Beginning in late 2025, the company will equip all of its vehicles with the ‘Panoramic iDrive‘ system, which merges advanced screens with updated software.

This goes beyond a mere evolution of BMW’s driver-focused cockpit: it eliminates the iDrive click-wheel controller, a feature present in BMWs since 2001. Gesture controls, which allowed users to adjust settings with a hand wave, are also removed.

Moving from Click-Wheel and Gesture Controls to Touchscreens

According to Road & Track, the shift away from these features towards touchscreens was based on data showing that people were not using the click-wheel controller and gesture controls frequently.

As a result, BMW is incorporating more screens. The Panoramic iDrive system consists of four key components:

• The BMW Panoramic Vision – a sleek screen spanning the width of the windscreen to show essential driving and vehicle information.
• The Central Display – a large touchscreen centered on the driver.
• A redesigned multifunction steering wheel with haptic feedback.
• An optional augmented reality (AR) 3D Head-Up Display – to project navigation and assisted driving information directly in the driver’s line of sight.

BMW guarantees a simple and intuitive, driver-focused design with this revamped system.

BMW Operating System X and Its Thoughtfully Designed User Interface

In the behind-the-scenes video below, BMW highlights the Android-based BMW Operating System X, developed in-house from scratch. The video also showcases an extensive user interface design system, with the automaker emphasizing its careful crafting of each cohesive element, such as icons and buttons, with attention to detail.

Additionally, the system includes a personal assistant powered by a large language model (LLM) for natural language voice commands.

By eliminating the other interaction methods, BMW can focus on streamlining and enhancing its dashboard and infotainment controls more efficiently.

Integrating these new components seamlessly likely requires considerable effort. BMW has long been refining its in-car systems: the iDrive knob was introduced 24 years ago, and the first version of the AR head-up display debuted in the 2003 5 Series.

The team behind this also emphasized a conscious move away from the trend of increasingly larger screens, which I find commendable.

Panoramic iDrive System to Debut in BMW’s Neue Klasse EVs Later This Year

BMW mentions that the Panoramic iDrive system will first appear in its upcoming Neue Klasse generation of EVs later this year. The first models to feature it will include a sporty sedan and a replacement for the iX3, both showcasing a bold new design language. Later, we can expect similar styling cues in combustion-engine models.

This has been in development for some time, with BMW teasing the update in March 2023. Of course, we’ll need to spend time behind the wheel to assess how well it enhances the driving experience.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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