As the various elements have been developed together, BMW claims they are fully integrated. So, for instance, the HUD will show directions while the Panoramic Display gives further info on roads.
BMW said the system was developed based on real-world anonymised usage data gleaned from its existing fleet of more than 22 million vehicles and then refined in usability lab tests.
Key elements of the new BMW interior
3D head-up display This optional unit projects navigation and driving information, complementing that in the Panoramic Display, onto the bottom of the windscreen.
Panoramic Vision
This dashboard spanning projection features six slots. Driving information is fixed, the rest can be customised.
Steering wheel
The primary physical controller features ‘shy-tech’ haptic buttons, which will illuminate when certain functions are available, such as answering a phone call
Central display
Sloped towards the driver for ease of reach, this touchscreen features BMW’s latest operating system, OS X. Voice control also features.
Q&A: Christian Bauer, vice-president of user interface design, BMW
Why is the screen closer to the driver than before?
“In the past, our screens have started behind the steering wheel and extended to the middle, so they have to be a little far away from you. With the Panoramic Vision, we can put the content that is really necessary up there where you have to look anyway and can move the touchscreen closer to you.”
Why is it angled like that?
“We put a 16deg kink on it, which nods to BMW heritage [such as the Hofmeister kink]. But it’s shaped in that direction because it means you have a perfect ergonomic position. It means you have a very short distance from the steering wheel to the display.”
