BMW iDrive system gets updated to work like smartphone

The BMW Group announced that it has updated the iDrive system to allow users of its Curved Display to experience a smartphone-like features.

According to the German automotive conglomerate, the in-car communications and entertainment unit used on modern BMW vehicles now has a new home screen with clearly arranged functions that better suit the large screen real estate offered by the Curved Display.

“Today, BMW iDrive is more than just a control and operating system — it’s a digital world of experience allowing human and car to interact with one another and exchange information. As we said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2023, we are continuously enhancing the associated user experience based on the latest available technology,” said BMW Group Connected Company Development Senior Vice President Stephan Durach.

The update implemented on the BMW iDrive system, the Group explained,  turns the Curved Display's home screen into a permanently viewable user interface. This means that all relevant driving data will be displayed on the screen at all times.

Additionally, all the selectable functions available for the driver are shown on a single level (thanks to the consortium’s new zero-layer principle) in a vertical arrangement as live widgets — allowing one to interact with the display without taking one’s eyes off the road for too long. This new setup also means that one no longer needs to enter a sub-menu in order to select a desired function.

Further, owners of compatible BMW vehicles can personalize their display screens pretty much like how one can customize a smartphone screen. Thanks to the QuickSelect function, select entertainment programs, contact lists, vehicle settings, and other menu options, can be accessed by tapping the screen.

Similarly, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can be activated by touching the Curved Display.

With its new graphical interface and optimized menu structure, BMW iDrive will — in the future — focus even more squarely on interaction by using the touchscreen and natural language.

In addition, the BMW Curved Display will continue to serve as the point of interaction for the multi-sensory iDrive experience.

Photos from BMW 

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