With the new iDrive The size of the central screen increases to 14.9 inches, and there is also a high-tech panoramic view. This is marketing talk for a projection that extends from one pillar to another. It’s located at the base of the windshield and contains nine widgets, six of which are customizable.
Harman’s booth at CES offers visitors the opportunity to see the future of BMW through an additional screen. The previous generation X3 (G01) was equipped with a revised instrument panel that included a display for the front passenger. As previously reported, we heard through the grapevine that production models will have an additional display. The 5 Series LCI, coming in 2027, could be among the first models.
Additionally, Samsung subsidiary Harman has the X5 (G05) with a revised interior that includes a central display. Like the smaller X3, it also has something very similar to BMW’s Panoramic View. However, neither company has officially announced that the technologies are related to each other. They serve a common purpose. For both BMW and Harman, the idea behind the head-up display is to reduce distractions.
Although this may seem ridiculous, the idea is that you won’t have to take your eyes off the road since the information and graphics displayed are directly in the driver’s line of sight. In the same vein, BMW has designed a new 3D display for the Neue Klasse. It will sit on top of the panoramic view, specifically on the left side. We expect to see it on combustion engine vehicles as well.
Currently, the 7 Series is the undisputed king of displays, thanks to the 5.5-inch displays mounted in the rear doors. BMW’s flagship also has an optional 31.3-inch screen that folds down from the roof. The theater screen is also an option in China on the long-wheelbase 5 Series.