BMW have unveiled a major upgrade that’s set to come to all of their cars – which drivers say has been needed “for years”.
The German carmaker, known worldwide for their range of luxury vehicles, revealed their new infotainment system at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, this week.
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The new tech utilizes a dash-spanning panoramic display and a central screen with a head-up display – which will be backed by a new system the company is calling BMW Operating System X.
The hardware and software will launch together in the next-gen BMW 3-series, which is set for later this year and will eventually come to every new BMW product.
Officially called BMW Panoramic iDrive, the brand describes the multifunction steering wheel as the fourth piece of the new system thanks to added haptics.
The system has been designed in-house and is reportedly based on an Android Open Source Project software stack.
According to Car & Driver, BMW have also utilized AI in their new system, with the intelligent assistant that comes as part of the software now using an integrated Large Language Model to make dialogue feel more natural.
Fans of the brand were seemingly impressed, although some believe they’re late to the party.
One user on X wrote: “Been needing this tech for years.
“Having an AR GPS overlay on the windshield to show you what lane and where to go without taking your eyes off the road.
“Perfect, just need a cheap alternative version for any car.”
Another wrote: “Knowing BMW, it probably requires a monthly subscription.”
The new system is to be launched on the much-anticipated Neue Klasse models – starting in late 2025.
Logic suggests it will coincide with the next-gen 3-series sedan, although BMW haven’t officially stated which model will get the new tech first.
BMW weren’t the only automotive powerhouse to impress at CES this year, as tech giant Sony finally revealed the results of their collaboration with Honda.
The joint venture forms the brand Afeela, which aims to rival the likes of Tesla with a range of luxury-tech EVs.
Sony originally showed off its Vision-S concept car way back in January 2020 before Honda joined the cause in 2022 to form Sony Honda Mobility.
Then, in 2023, SHM announced that its cars would be marketed under the Afeela brand.
This first release, which will be aptly titled the Afeela 1, will be available in two trims; Origin and Signature.
Origin will be its entry level option with prices starting at $89,900, while Signature will be more advanced and cost a whopping $102,900 – with 21in wheels, extra screens for rear seat passengers and more cameras.
Set for a range of around 300 miles, the real selling point is the car’s autonomous driving ability, which works using 40 different sensors.
Perhaps more gimmicky is the ‘Media Bar’ which can display messages on the front bumper to enable “seamless communication between drivers, passengers, and even people outside the vehicle, adding a new dimension of enjoyment to public spaces”.
This can also display charge status or even ‘digital stickers’, with plans for the car to display weather, traffic updates and even sports results.
Inside, the car will feature a range of tech, including a panoramic screen that stretches across the dash, along with Sony’s surround sound and noise cancelling technology.
There’s naturally an AI personal assistant too, which is able to have ‘natural conversations’ and will even initiate chats – a little bit like Knight Rider.
Elsewhere, Rolls-Royce are set to release a brand new EV in 2025 – despite demand for electric cars stalling.
The British brand has already launched the Spectre as its first zero-emission model – which indirectly replaced the petrol-powered Wraith.
But later this year, their second EV will be unveiled – fresh from their facility in Goodwood in the UK.
