Radical shift

How BMW is revolutionizing its car operating system

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07.01.2025 18:15

A control system that has never been seen before in a car: This is what BMW is bringing to series production with the OS X operating system and the so-called Panoramic iDrive. The entire width of the windshield becomes a configurable display, and the interior will never look the same again.

BMW has been good for revolutions in the operation of cars before: with the iDrive controller, the Munich-based company created what is probably the best operating system on the market after initial difficulties and irritation among customers.

Then they began to do away with the tried and tested. Instead of (digital) round instruments, futuristic graphics on the speedometer, a coherent curved display instead of dedicated dashboards across the range, and then they also got rid of the iDrive controller, the rotary pushbutton, at least in the smaller model series. A decision as controversial as the shape and size of the brand-defining kidneys. It remains to be seen to what extent all this was a planned irritation. In any case, the radical break now comes as a surprise.

Curved display, iDrive controller - it's all gone. (Bild: Stephan Schätzl)
Curved display, iDrive controller - it's all gone.

Everything has to go
Because now everything is completely different. The curved display is going in the garbage can, and there will no longer be a screen behind the steering wheel. The dashboard will still feature a central touchscreen that leans towards the driver like a parallelogram.

The Panoramic iDrive in the Vison New Class X concept car - closer to series production than many assumed. (Bild: BMW)
The Panoramic iDrive in the Vison New Class X concept car - closer to series production than many assumed.

However, the actual central element is "Panoramic Vision" - a black strip at the lower edge of the windshield, on which a wealth of information can be displayed, which can be easily read (in BMW-speak: experienced) from all seats.

Only the space directly in front of the driver is fixed, as this is where the speedometer belongs. The rest of the area is divided into six segments that can be assigned individually. To do this, you simply swipe info elements upwards from the central screen. No witchcraft. Time, weather, music, arrival time, etc., or you can leave individual spaces or the entire area blank for a more relaxed look.

There is also the touchscreen for information, e.g. for the navigation map. There will also still be a classic head-up display (with graphics for navigation and automated driving). So nobody will be able to complain that they are not getting enough information.

Everything but classic
On the other hand, this lack of information may not appeal to everyone. Among BMW drivers in particular, the proportion of those who want cars that are as classic as they are sporty has always been high. Now there is no longer any question of classic.

But the aim was to create the perfect operating system of the future. An initial test with VR glasses at a presentation at the BMW plant in Spartanburg was very promising. We were already impressed by the outstanding clarity at the presentation of the two "Vision Neue Klasse" vehicles.

How good all this really is depends on the steering wheel buttons, which BMW describes as the most important haptic surface for interaction. We will see how they react in reality. They are supplemented by touchscreen and voice control. This should work better than ever thanks to the implementation of a "large language model", i.e. AI.

The first BMW to be equipped with this new system will be the new iX3, the first representative of what the manufacturer describes as the revolutionary "New Class", which will be unveiled later this year. But the Panoramic iDrive is not reserved for the New Class: It will be rolled out across all model series - including existing ones in the course of facelifts.

This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.

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