[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Peschiera

You should look a bit into the very near future when your car will drive more often autonomously. Then you won't have your hands on the steering wheel all the time, but just somewhere.

Yes, there will be plenty of time to BMW AirTouch yourself in the car while it drives itself.

[Peschiera]

Originally Posted by Kyle B

Yes, there will be plenty of time to BMW AirTouch yourself in the car while it drives itself.

I never drive alone

[raysspl]

Excited to see this progress

[BMW-ALPINA]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

[...] The new 5er will receive Touch Screen and of course BMW Gesture Control.[...]

Are you saying that the well known iDrive-controller is dead on the next gen. 5er?

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by BMW-ALPINA

Are you saying that the well known iDrive-controller is dead on the next gen. 5er?

No there will still be iDrive. Just as there will be BMW Touchscreen and BMW Gesture Control.

[TheBingoBalls]

Not sure why everyone is making a big deal about gestures and touchscreen in later versions of iDrive. This is just a natural progression of the infotainment system for BMW. Unlike Audi MMI and Mercedes COMAND, iDrive with the knob controller is refined that there doesn't need any more significant development with it and allows BMW to look into other inputs whether it be the touchscreen or gestures while still retaining the iDrive knob.

With gestures, it's still relatively new that it's impossible to say what benefits, if any, the consumer will see. Everyone here is thinking in a very simplistic way where these gestures will only mimic what can already be done on the steering wheel buttons so gestures is just a gimmick. Sure, right now it is, but who knows what BMW can accomplish with it when people start getting used to it and it gets implemented into more cars.

As long as the iDrive knob remains, I don't see any problem with BMW develop and testing other methods of input and interactions with iDrive. We should all be fortunate that BMW's don't have something like CUE where Cadillac has gone all in with touchscreen.

[SCOTT26]

Cadillac has the most abysmal interface, especially the delay in function. You can do a Starbucks run by the time it updates.

[MParallel]

Call me old fashioned, but I greatly prefer the tactile feel of pressing a button.

[MilehighM3]

Originally Posted by Stratus650

would be excited if a new interior design direction is adopted coz its about time, Mercedes and Audi are way ahead in that field

How do you come up with that? : idrive was brought into the market by BMW back in '02. Soon after Audi and Mercedes followed behind their lead and learned from BMW's mistakes made in execution. Then you fast forward to the F30 when everyone critiqued BMW for not allowing the screen to fold down, even though it looks like it should. A few years later here comes Audi and Mercedes with the same layout with Mercedes' layout being even uglier.

[MalibuBimmer]

Originally Posted by MParallel

Call me old fashioned, but I greatly prefer the tactile feel of pressing a button.

Interesting you say that. So do I. But . . .

The early versions of the iDrive had "haptic" feedback. If you turned or pushed the iDrive button in a direction it wasn't supposed to go for that function, the button would "sense" that and it would refuse to go there. Instead, it would give you some feedback by way of pressure and vibration against your proposed operation.

The memory necessary for this haptic feedback was enormous and made the iDrive system very slow and unreliable. My first 650i was a lemon bought back by BMW in part because the iDrive system kept failing.

(As I have noted elsewhere, the first version of the iDrive on the first 745s also often froze up, bricking the cars.)

[freezey]

Things like this make me want to wait for the next generation M5 before buying one.

[MParallel]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

Interesting you say that. So do I. But . . .

The early versions of the iDrive had "haptic" feedback. If you turned or pushed the iDrive(...)

I meant so old fashioned, even pre dating iDrive. Never had a car with it. Been in cars with it.

No, I'm one of those that like a dedicated button for every function. I kind of have a button and switches fetish.

[goj]

Originally Posted by F32 N55

I'm still wondering where Car Play is.

BMW won't showcase another companies technology when the point is to showcase their own.

It's actually quite simple why their is no mention of it at CES...

[goj]

Originally Posted by freezey

Things like this make me want to wait for the next generation M5 before buying one.

Of course you should wait the new platform will be something else! Not just the tech!

[BPMSport]

Can't wait to see this. CES is so close!

[N & M]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Mercedes is the worst. Its like too giant iPhones stuck together and that is only if you order the full high end navigation and interface. Otherwise you have a smaller screen stuck onto immense black plastic glass.

BMWs is excellent because it provides a lounge feeling with a flatscreen positioned at the driver and now with BMW Gesture Control combined with iDrive and BMW Touchscreen control and switchgear are minimised therefore eliminating sweeping centre control panels and unnecessary blanking spaces like Mercedes. In terms of aesthetics, Haptic's and spatial layout BMW is miles ahead in interiors as is iDrive is ahead of Mercedes' antiquated Command and Audis MMI interfaces.

BMW AirTouch as well as iDrive Touch are the next stage for vehicle interfaces at BMW. I have the 730d at the moment and I can use Gesture Control without my eyes leaving the road. It is easy to master and simple to use.
BMW AirTouch is the next phase of Gesture Control and like iDrive in 2001 expect it to be much imitated and assimilated in cars of all segments within the next 10 years.

Driving all the major brands across the ranges, I would agree whole heartedly that the BMW tech and interface is miles ahead. I do feel that as design language they could do with a little more flair and dare I say it; bling.

On the exterior side, I feel that BMW has given away a lot to Mercedes as has gone very conservative following the Bangle era. Mercedes on the other hand barring a few hiccups (GLE and mainly SUVs) has been producing some real design winners in my humble opinion.

[N & M]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

The BMWs of the future will offer surround displays so the driver can operate completely in his own environment. The passenger also has access to their own screens so information can be swiped over to the driver.
This feature is not that far off in a production car.
As is the introduction of iDrive Touch.

The question is how far?

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Can't wait to see this. CES is so close!

Yes this week.