MINI's revolutionary, rounded digital world is on its way
27 Jul 2023|1,491 views
We know what's coming as technology advances in the auto world: Screens grow larger; buttons disappear. Surely, it's all just a race to see who has the most to show, size-wise.
Or so we think.
Never one to do things by the playbook of another, MINI has just revealed a revolutionary new digital world not seen on its models thus far… and not on any other car either. It's done so, too, in a manner that can only be described as - well - MINI.
With the introduction of its revolutionary, new 'MINI Interaction Unit', MINI has finally achieved a level of digitalisation that fully realises the circular design DNA of its earliest cars
Best of all, this isn't just the stuff simply dreamt up in design workshops. All that tech is actually coming to the new MINI family that we will soon see and drive on our roads.
You're certainly already thinking that the key piece to the entire puzzle is that rounded screen you've already seen crowning of the new MINI dashboards. And you would be be right - partially.
When MINI moved from analogue dials to digital screens in its most recent generation, it sort of 'cheated' by housing a rectangular screen within a larger circular casing. Now, however, the circular, 240mm OLED display - apparently the first of its kind on the market - is arguably MINI's most fully-realised take on how digitalisation can be interwoven with its original, circular DNA.
Both static elements (for functions such as air-conditioning) and dynamic elements come together on the OLED unit
Tech-wise, the new OLED unit (its official name is the 'MINI Interaction Unit') will run MINI Operating System 9 (OS 9), which was developed in house by the BMW Group and is based on an Android Open Source Project software stack.
What is equally important, however, are the new possibilities this unorthodox shape has realised for the digital experience, as well as what MINI has consequently done to fully weaponise it.
Both static and dynamic elements are interwoven into the display's circular form. You will notice, for instance, that controls for air conditioning line the two lower edges, while a horizontal digital menu houses functions such as Navigation, Media, and also 'All Apps' and 'Home' buttons.
MINI is offering eight different 'Experience Modes' with its new OS 9
But the user experience here is also centred in fun. Apart from relying on micro-animations to enhance both the intuitiveness of the system as well as its ability to delight the user, a key quality to OS 9 is the myriad of 'Experience Modes' that the new MINI family will debut.
Some of them are functional. With the system left in 'Core' by default, 'Go-Kart' mode effectively replaces what ‘Sport’ does and washes the screen over with a racier, Anthracite and Red aesthetic, replete with a sporty speedometer. In contrast, while adjusting the accelerator’s throttle response for efficient driving, 'Green' alerts the driver about their driving inputs too with animal animations that indicate how much power they’re using.
Others are more cosmetic. 'Balance' mode is supposed to evoke calmness; 'Vivid' mode focuses on the presentation of media content; 'Personal' breaks new ground in terms of adjustability by offering you the option of using personal pictures for the background of the unit.
'Go Kart' and 'Green' modes are effectively what we would conventionally know as Sport and Efficiency modes. The latter even displays different animal animations, depending on the aggressiveness of one's driving inputs
But by far our favourite, perhaps, is 'Timeless' mode, which brings back the spirit of the classic MINI in full, with a serif typeface and massive speedometer against a light background. Again, you get how this interface is something MINI could have only achieved with the rounded screen.
The different modes mentioned will trigger matching changes in the cabin’s ambient lighting, and - as we previously noted - also the light projections over the car's dashboard, which is yet another new feature the impending MINI family will debut.
'Timeless' mode brings back a serif typeface and massive speedometer to evoke the spirit of classic MINIs
Light shows aside, soundscapes built from the ground up for the new generation of cars will also come into play when driving the new MINIs. In particular, drivers of the new MINI Cooper Electric will be first to experience the new aural world.
30 new sound signals with information and warning functions will be built into the cars. Joining them are all-new driving sounds for the interior, an "unmistakable MINI brand sound" (this is active in 'Core' mode on all-electric MINIs, and can also be heard outside the car for acoustic pedestrian protection), and jingles for the Experience Modes.
Finally, OS 9 puts itself ahead of its predecessors in that it is optimised for touch and voice control like never before, and even integrates an intelligent personal assistant. The latter comes in the form of two responsive (and frankly quite adorable) avatars: Either 'MINI', a stylised representation of an actual MINI car, or 'Spike', a puppy. Both can be activated by a "Hey MINI" greeting, for functions such as telephony, radio, temperature and navigation.
MINI's Intelligent Personal Assistant takes the shape of either 'MINI' or 'Spike'
Speaking of navigation, the car's new map even takes up the entirety of the circular display. The strength of the new operating system and this new integration of voice-control and navigation functions should become particularly noteworthy in all-electric MINIs, for which charging-optimised routes can be calculated and reflected in real time.
As to what happens when you finally reach your charging stop, MINI is also debuting a fresh gaming experience that promises to make waiting for recharges more fun. Via the new AirConsole App, occupants merely need to connect their smartphone wirelessly to the MINI Interaction Unit, which then acts as the controller.
Apart from offering wireless gaming with its AirConsole App, the MINI Interaction Unit is also better optimised for navigation - especially for charging
A range of racing, sport, quiz, strategy, jump-and-run, and puzzles games will be available (titles include Overcooked and Go-Kart Go) – although MINI has been quick to designate them as "casual games" that are easy to pick up.
Unsurprisingly, this wireless connectivity also means Apple CarPlay and Android Auto won't require cumbersome USB cables for the new cars.
We know what's coming as technology advances in the auto world: Screens grow larger; buttons disappear. Surely, it's all just a race to see who has the most to show, size-wise.
Or so we think.
Never one to do things by the playbook of another, MINI has just revealed a revolutionary new digital world not seen on its models thus far… and not on any other car either. It's done so, too, in a manner that can only be described as - well - MINI.
With the introduction of its revolutionary, new 'MINI Interaction Unit', MINI has finally achieved a level of digitalisation that fully realises the circular design DNA of its earliest cars
Best of all, this isn't just the stuff simply dreamt up in design workshops. All that tech is actually coming to the new MINI family that we will soon see and drive on our roads.
You're certainly already thinking that the key piece to the entire puzzle is that rounded screen you've already seen crowning of the new MINI dashboards. And you would be be right - partially.
When MINI moved from analogue dials to digital screens in its most recent generation, it sort of 'cheated' by housing a rectangular screen within a larger circular casing. Now, however, the circular, 240mm OLED display - apparently the first of its kind on the market - is arguably MINI's most fully-realised take on how digitalisation can be interwoven with its original, circular DNA.
Both static elements (for functions such as air-conditioning) and dynamic elements come together on the OLED unit
Tech-wise, the new OLED unit (its official name is the 'MINI Interaction Unit') will run MINI Operating System 9 (OS 9), which was developed in house by the BMW Group and is based on an Android Open Source Project software stack.
What is equally important, however, are the new possibilities this unorthodox shape has realised for the digital experience, as well as what MINI has consequently done to fully weaponise it.
Both static and dynamic elements are interwoven into the display's circular form. You will notice, for instance, that controls for air conditioning line the two lower edges, while a horizontal digital menu houses functions such as Navigation, Media, and also 'All Apps' and 'Home' buttons.
MINI is offering eight different 'Experience Modes' with its new OS 9
But the user experience here is also centred in fun. Apart from relying on micro-animations to enhance both the intuitiveness of the system as well as its ability to delight the user, a key quality to OS 9 is the myriad of 'Experience Modes' that the new MINI family will debut.
Some of them are functional. With the system left in 'Core' by default, 'Go-Kart' mode effectively replaces what ‘Sport’ does and washes the screen over with a racier, Anthracite and Red aesthetic, replete with a sporty speedometer. In contrast, while adjusting the accelerator’s throttle response for efficient driving, 'Green' alerts the driver about their driving inputs too with animal animations that indicate how much power they’re using.
Others are more cosmetic. 'Balance' mode is supposed to evoke calmness; 'Vivid' mode focuses on the presentation of media content; 'Personal' breaks new ground in terms of adjustability by offering you the option of using personal pictures for the background of the unit.
'Go Kart' and 'Green' modes are effectively what we would conventionally know as Sport and Efficiency modes. The latter even displays different animal animations, depending on the aggressiveness of one's driving inputs
But by far our favourite, perhaps, is 'Timeless' mode, which brings back the spirit of the classic MINI in full, with a serif typeface and massive speedometer against a light background. Again, you get how this interface is something MINI could have only achieved with the rounded screen.
The different modes mentioned will trigger matching changes in the cabin’s ambient lighting, and - as we previously noted - also the light projections over the car's dashboard, which is yet another new feature the impending MINI family will debut.
'Timeless' mode brings back a serif typeface and massive speedometer to evoke the spirit of classic MINIs
Light shows aside, soundscapes built from the ground up for the new generation of cars will also come into play when driving the new MINIs. In particular, drivers of the new MINI Cooper Electric will be first to experience the new aural world.
30 new sound signals with information and warning functions will be built into the cars. Joining them are all-new driving sounds for the interior, an "unmistakable MINI brand sound" (this is active in 'Core' mode on all-electric MINIs, and can also be heard outside the car for acoustic pedestrian protection), and jingles for the Experience Modes.
Finally, OS 9 puts itself ahead of its predecessors in that it is optimised for touch and voice control like never before, and even integrates an intelligent personal assistant. The latter comes in the form of two responsive (and frankly quite adorable) avatars: Either 'MINI', a stylised representation of an actual MINI car, or 'Spike', a puppy. Both can be activated by a "Hey MINI" greeting, for functions such as telephony, radio, temperature and navigation.
MINI's Intelligent Personal Assistant takes the shape of either 'MINI' or 'Spike'
Speaking of navigation, the car's new map even takes up the entirety of the circular display. The strength of the new operating system and this new integration of voice-control and navigation functions should become particularly noteworthy in all-electric MINIs, for which charging-optimised routes can be calculated and reflected in real time.
As to what happens when you finally reach your charging stop, MINI is also debuting a fresh gaming experience that promises to make waiting for recharges more fun. Via the new AirConsole App, occupants merely need to connect their smartphone wirelessly to the MINI Interaction Unit, which then acts as the controller.
Apart from offering wireless gaming with its AirConsole App, the MINI Interaction Unit is also better optimised for navigation - especially for charging
A range of racing, sport, quiz, strategy, jump-and-run, and puzzles games will be available (titles include Overcooked and Go-Kart Go) – although MINI has been quick to designate them as "casual games" that are easy to pick up.
Unsurprisingly, this wireless connectivity also means Apple CarPlay and Android Auto won't require cumbersome USB cables for the new cars.
Latest COE Prices
April 2025 | 2nd BIDDING
NEXT TENDER: 07 May 2025
CAT A$99,500
CAT B$117,003
CAT C$65,001
CAT E$118,001
View Full Results 
Thank You For Your Subscription.
