BMW unveils the latest generation of the iDrive system
18 Mar 2021|836 views
The new generation of BMW iDrive takes the interaction between driver and vehicle into a digital future where many areas of life are getting increasingly smart.
The new interpretation of BMW's operating system equips the vehicle to actively engage in its relationship with those on board and, in so doing, serves as a digital, intelligent and proactive partner in any situation. A natural dialogue is created with the aim of precisely tailoring all the functions controlled via BMW iDrive to the driver's needs and preferences as the situation demands.
The ability of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to adjust to the driver's individual needs and routines, as well as the situation at hand, makes it a central operating channel of human-machine interaction. The operating system is designed with a clear focus on dialogue-based interaction using natural language and touch operation via the BMW Curved Display.
And then there is 'Great Entrance Moments', which brings emotionality to the relationship between driver and vehicle even before the driver climbs on board. This new customer experience welcomes the driver and invites them into the vehicle with a thoroughly choreographed routine.
Paving the way for even greater personalisation is the BMW ID. This system recognises repetitive situations, learns from them and provides suggestions on how functions can be activated accordingly. Remote Software Upgrade allows the new BMW iDrive to benefit from regular over-the-air improvements, integrate additional functions and stay up to date at all times.
Advances made in the field of digital design are likewise reflected in the design of a user interface which not only fulfils its functional role but is also clear, aesthetically pleasing and rich in detail. This artistic approach creates surprising moments, with graphic presentation on the displays precisely designed.
The interaction between driver and vehicle becomes a unique experience in which the boundaries between the digital and analogue worlds melt away. A prime example is the use of clear, minimalist design in both the exterior and interior of the car, which is reprised by the pure, reduced design of the digital elements of BMW iDrive.
The most distinctive new addition to the physical components on board is the BMW Curved Display, which groups together the information display and control display. This curving screen offers a futuristic interpretation of the traditional driver orientation in the cockpit design of BMW models.
The 'Act, Locate and Inform' principle, which ensures information is distributed clearly and screen redundancy is avoided, takes the signature BMW driver orientation of the cockpit design to a new level. Pre-filtering ensures that only information relevant to the driving situation is presented to the driver - and always shown where they can absorb it as quickly and easily as possible.
Voice control and the touch function of the BMW Curved Display were prioritised as usage options in the development of the new BMW iDrive. The number of buttons and switches has been reduced by almost half. At the same time, control clusters for relevant and frequently used basic functions are retained where customers expect to find them.
The control panels on the centre console and instrument panel have a new, clear and minimalist design, with the familiar iDrive Controller being the central control element on the centre console. The Touch Controller, designed in an extremely smart glass-effect finish for the BMW iX, is encircled by a painted bezel.
The new generation of BMW iDrive brings a new design language for the newly developed BMW Operating System 8. Strong and eye-catching graphics, modern colours, futuristic textures and forms, bright light and the interplay of reflections create an impressive and immersive visual appearance. The user interface has been optimised to present the right amount of information at all times in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
The information display in the driver's central visual axis impresses both with its generously sized screen surface and its striking forms, dynamic light effects, strong depth of colour and modern colour worlds. All of the displays have an extremely high graphic resolution of 200ppi.
The extensive individualisation options available for the screens in the display area behind the steering wheel can be selected extremely quickly and easily via the function keys on the steering wheel. The two-axis operating system enables user-friendly vertical list navigation with the rotating key, as well as toggling between menus by tilting horizontally.
The Focus layout, meanwhile, has been designed for extremely dynamic driving situations. By contrast, the Gallery layout largely minimises the driving information view to clear as much space as possible for widget content. For example, information on the media source currently being accessed, the map display or the interventions and action prompts of the driver assistance systems are presented in even greater detail.
The newly designed media player represents a particular aesthetic highlight. An algorithm selects the cover colour scheme of the music track currently playing and reproduces it dynamically across the display area of the media player.
The new generation of BMW iDrive also brings additional skills for the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. In order to strengthen the personal connection between the digital companion and the vehicle occupants, users can still give the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant a name of their choice, which they then use as a prompt.
Advances have also been made in the functionality of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. An expanded pool of underlying data and information has not only made the digital assistant more intelligent, it has also enabled it to act according to context. It can take into account the situation in the vehicle and its surroundings when considering when and how it will communicate with those on board.
The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can distinguish who is talking to it and appears on the relevant screen area. A widget designed specially for the Intelligent Personal Assistant enables rapid access to other settings and suggestions. The Intelligent Personal Assistant will also learn new functions and new forms of expression as the ongoing development of iDrive continues.
When using the new iDrive, customers benefit from increasing personalisation of the user experience based on the BMW ID. In future, it will be possible to securely store even more personalised settings in the BMW ID and transfer them between vehicles. A PIN code can be created or the BMW ID associated with a particular key to prevent other vehicle users from accessing personal data.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology is key to enabling all of this. It allows precision location pinpointing between vehicle and the key or smartphone, meaning that the car knows exactly where the driver is approaching from and how far away they are to within a few centimetres.
As soon as the distance drops below three metres, the vehicle starts to wake up and indicates this with a gradually intensifying, dynamic lighting effect using the exterior lights. A soft, subdued light comes on in the cabin. The vehicle shows the customer the way to the entrance area, which is lit up by a light carpet in the vicinity of the driver's door featuring geometric forms inspired by the elements of the graphical user interface.
At the same time, the door handles and boot lid handle are illuminated to make it easier for the customer to take hold of them. Once the driver moves to within one-and-a-half metres, the vehicle unlocks no matter whether they are carrying their UWB key or a smartphone with BMW Digital Key Plus. Opening a door activates the seat's entry assistance feature along with the surface and steering wheel heating.
The new BMW iDrive system will be launched with these Efficient, Sport and Personal Modes. Further modes will be added as part of the ongoing development of BMW iDrive in the future. This will also include modes that do not revolve primarily around the driver or the task of driving. Additional functions will be integrated into the modes via over-the-air updates.
Control of the air conditioning system will be incorporated into the BMW Curved Display in future, as customers should seldom need to adjust any of the climate control settings. To make this possible, all temperature and comfort functions will now be intelligently controlled together. Each further adjustment is registered by the system and stored in the user profile for the BMW ID for future reference.
The ideal pre-set configuration has been programmed based on the evaluation of more than 440 million customer journeys across all model classes and regions of the world. Besides fan speed and air distribution, the intelligent automatic climate control also regulates the steering wheel and surface heating as well as the seat heating and ventilation in order to ensure optimum levels of thermal comfort.
The new generation of BMW iDrive takes the interaction between driver and vehicle into a digital future where many areas of life are getting increasingly smart.
The new interpretation of BMW's operating system equips the vehicle to actively engage in its relationship with those on board and, in so doing, serves as a digital, intelligent and proactive partner in any situation. A natural dialogue is created with the aim of precisely tailoring all the functions controlled via BMW iDrive to the driver's needs and preferences as the situation demands.
The ability of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to adjust to the driver's individual needs and routines, as well as the situation at hand, makes it a central operating channel of human-machine interaction. The operating system is designed with a clear focus on dialogue-based interaction using natural language and touch operation via the BMW Curved Display.
And then there is 'Great Entrance Moments', which brings emotionality to the relationship between driver and vehicle even before the driver climbs on board. This new customer experience welcomes the driver and invites them into the vehicle with a thoroughly choreographed routine.
Paving the way for even greater personalisation is the BMW ID. This system recognises repetitive situations, learns from them and provides suggestions on how functions can be activated accordingly. Remote Software Upgrade allows the new BMW iDrive to benefit from regular over-the-air improvements, integrate additional functions and stay up to date at all times.
Advances made in the field of digital design are likewise reflected in the design of a user interface which not only fulfils its functional role but is also clear, aesthetically pleasing and rich in detail. This artistic approach creates surprising moments, with graphic presentation on the displays precisely designed.
The interaction between driver and vehicle becomes a unique experience in which the boundaries between the digital and analogue worlds melt away. A prime example is the use of clear, minimalist design in both the exterior and interior of the car, which is reprised by the pure, reduced design of the digital elements of BMW iDrive.
The most distinctive new addition to the physical components on board is the BMW Curved Display, which groups together the information display and control display. This curving screen offers a futuristic interpretation of the traditional driver orientation in the cockpit design of BMW models.
The 'Act, Locate and Inform' principle, which ensures information is distributed clearly and screen redundancy is avoided, takes the signature BMW driver orientation of the cockpit design to a new level. Pre-filtering ensures that only information relevant to the driving situation is presented to the driver - and always shown where they can absorb it as quickly and easily as possible.
Voice control and the touch function of the BMW Curved Display were prioritised as usage options in the development of the new BMW iDrive. The number of buttons and switches has been reduced by almost half. At the same time, control clusters for relevant and frequently used basic functions are retained where customers expect to find them.
The control panels on the centre console and instrument panel have a new, clear and minimalist design, with the familiar iDrive Controller being the central control element on the centre console. The Touch Controller, designed in an extremely smart glass-effect finish for the BMW iX, is encircled by a painted bezel.
The new generation of BMW iDrive brings a new design language for the newly developed BMW Operating System 8. Strong and eye-catching graphics, modern colours, futuristic textures and forms, bright light and the interplay of reflections create an impressive and immersive visual appearance. The user interface has been optimised to present the right amount of information at all times in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
The information display in the driver's central visual axis impresses both with its generously sized screen surface and its striking forms, dynamic light effects, strong depth of colour and modern colour worlds. All of the displays have an extremely high graphic resolution of 200ppi.
The extensive individualisation options available for the screens in the display area behind the steering wheel can be selected extremely quickly and easily via the function keys on the steering wheel. The two-axis operating system enables user-friendly vertical list navigation with the rotating key, as well as toggling between menus by tilting horizontally.
The Focus layout, meanwhile, has been designed for extremely dynamic driving situations. By contrast, the Gallery layout largely minimises the driving information view to clear as much space as possible for widget content. For example, information on the media source currently being accessed, the map display or the interventions and action prompts of the driver assistance systems are presented in even greater detail.
The newly designed media player represents a particular aesthetic highlight. An algorithm selects the cover colour scheme of the music track currently playing and reproduces it dynamically across the display area of the media player.
The new generation of BMW iDrive also brings additional skills for the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. In order to strengthen the personal connection between the digital companion and the vehicle occupants, users can still give the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant a name of their choice, which they then use as a prompt.
Advances have also been made in the functionality of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. An expanded pool of underlying data and information has not only made the digital assistant more intelligent, it has also enabled it to act according to context. It can take into account the situation in the vehicle and its surroundings when considering when and how it will communicate with those on board.
The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can distinguish who is talking to it and appears on the relevant screen area. A widget designed specially for the Intelligent Personal Assistant enables rapid access to other settings and suggestions. The Intelligent Personal Assistant will also learn new functions and new forms of expression as the ongoing development of iDrive continues.
When using the new iDrive, customers benefit from increasing personalisation of the user experience based on the BMW ID. In future, it will be possible to securely store even more personalised settings in the BMW ID and transfer them between vehicles. A PIN code can be created or the BMW ID associated with a particular key to prevent other vehicle users from accessing personal data.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology is key to enabling all of this. It allows precision location pinpointing between vehicle and the key or smartphone, meaning that the car knows exactly where the driver is approaching from and how far away they are to within a few centimetres.
As soon as the distance drops below three metres, the vehicle starts to wake up and indicates this with a gradually intensifying, dynamic lighting effect using the exterior lights. A soft, subdued light comes on in the cabin. The vehicle shows the customer the way to the entrance area, which is lit up by a light carpet in the vicinity of the driver's door featuring geometric forms inspired by the elements of the graphical user interface.
At the same time, the door handles and boot lid handle are illuminated to make it easier for the customer to take hold of them. Once the driver moves to within one-and-a-half metres, the vehicle unlocks no matter whether they are carrying their UWB key or a smartphone with BMW Digital Key Plus. Opening a door activates the seat's entry assistance feature along with the surface and steering wheel heating.
The new BMW iDrive system will be launched with these Efficient, Sport and Personal Modes. Further modes will be added as part of the ongoing development of BMW iDrive in the future. This will also include modes that do not revolve primarily around the driver or the task of driving. Additional functions will be integrated into the modes via over-the-air updates.
Control of the air conditioning system will be incorporated into the BMW Curved Display in future, as customers should seldom need to adjust any of the climate control settings. To make this possible, all temperature and comfort functions will now be intelligently controlled together. Each further adjustment is registered by the system and stored in the user profile for the BMW ID for future reference.
The ideal pre-set configuration has been programmed based on the evaluation of more than 440 million customer journeys across all model classes and regions of the world. Besides fan speed and air distribution, the intelligent automatic climate control also regulates the steering wheel and surface heating as well as the seat heating and ventilation in order to ensure optimum levels of thermal comfort.
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