BMW surprised the world of motoring when it revealed that passengers occupying the rear row of the new BMW 7 Series will be able to enjoy a 31-inch touch screen with 8K resolution. For the Germans, in the future, this type of technology will be the only one that survives in the passenger compartment of their cars: Oliver Zipse, CEO of the Bavarian brand, has set an expiration date for the huge screens built into the dashboard of the cars.
In a conference offered at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Oliver Zipse took advantage of the presence of the BMW i Vision Dee to talk about the technological future of their vehicles. This prototype serves as a preview of the equipment that we will see in the next generation of the brand’s electric cars: among the novelties, it stands out a huge head-up display that spans the full width of the windshield and is integrated into it.
A source of distractions
BMW intends to replace conventional screens with these huge head-up displays (HUD). For Oliver Zipse, the surfaces that house the infotainment systems are a mistake: “Distractions are the main source of accidents, not speed. It is wrong for the driver to have to look down to operate the car’s controls.”
The BMW CEO is “absolutely convinced” that the huge screens that invade the central area of the dashboard will soon be history: “In ten years they will disappear.” And it even assumes that the regulations could force manufacturers to change their interior designs and eliminate these types of devices.
BMW’s proposal
BMW is committed to a technology of front view that turns the windshield into a huge head-up display that spans the entire width of the glass surface. Current HUDs project a small field of view and they want to expand it to provide driver information within their natural line of sight to keep their eyes on the road: “It’s a leap forward in terms of design, technology and sustainability. With our technology, everyone in the car can see the same information – even those in the back.”
BMW aims to revolutionize the industry with its new technology: it remains to be seen what the reaction of drivers will be. We won’t have to wait long for it, since This technology will be incorporated into all models that, from 2025, are built on the Neue Klasse electric platform: the first two will be a sedan and a crossover.
