BMW’s Neue Klasse promises to be revolutionary and it’s ushering in a new form of iDrive. It’s being joined by Operating System X and both promise to drastically change how drivers interact with their vehicle.
Set to become an “integral part” of all future models, the latest version of iDrive has four main components. The most prominent is a distinctively shaped infotainment system, which features matrix backlight technology. BMW said the system has an updated menu structure as well as “easy and convenient” operation.
More: BMW Panoramic Vision Head-Up Display Goes Into Production In 2025
Above that is the new BMW Panoramic Vision system, which is a pillar-to-pillar screen that acts as a heads-up display. It’s broken up into three sections and the one directly in front of the driver is a digital instrument cluster.
The other two sections can be customized with widgets that can be swiped onto the Panoramic Vision display from the infotainment system. The latter can accommodate as many as six widgets and they can be arranged as desired. These appear to include compass and weather displays as well as ones for audio and navigation. Customers can also display the current power and torque output as well as a G Meter.
There’s also an optional 3D Head-Up Display, which shows navigation and automated driving information directly in the driver’s field of view. BMW said the use of two heads-up displays is unique and information will be “presented in a neatly coordinated way.”
While previous iDrive systems have used a central control knob, the latest version relies heavily on a new multifunction steering wheel. It’s part of BMW’s “shy-tech approach” and sees the wheel serve as the primary physical controller. It features haptic feedback buttons with “well-judged, relief-like” surfaces that promise to make them easy to find without looking.
Moving on, BMW Operating System X is billed as an evolution of the current system and it’s once again based on Android. It promises a “greater update and upgrade capability” as well as seamless interaction between the various displays.
As BMW noted, “an incoming call initially brings up a graphic on the BMW Panoramic Vision [display]. At the same time, a symbol on the relevant steering wheel button that was not previously visible is illuminated in green, indicating the option of taking the call by pressing the button or rejecting it with a swipe on the right-hand side of the steering wheel.”
Furthermore, when using the navigation system, route guidance alerts are shown on the 3D Head-Up Display. Information on roads and junctions are shown on the Panoramic Vision display, while a full map can be shown on the infotainment system.
The automaker went on to say Operating System X allows for greater personalization. This includes the ability to upload pictures for use as backgrounds on the infotainment system.
BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant is also slated to get smarter thanks to the use of Large Language Models. These efforts will initially be focused on navigation and this will allow drivers to speak more naturally. As an example, BMW said customers could say something along the lines of “Take me to a charging station, which is close to a food store.”
