BMW
It’s such a shame that I can’t make it to Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show. For the second year in a row, the fear of missing out comes from a new augmented reality display for cars. Last year, it was Texas Instruments’ new in-plane holographic optical element display that projected an image onto the surface of the windshield. Unlike traditional heads-up displays that throw a small image into the space ahead of the driver.
This year, it’s a new BMW concept car that previews some of the technology found in the company’s Neue Klasse EV. The EV will feature augmented reality across the windshield when production starts in 2025.
The concept is called the BMW i Vision Dee, with ‘Dee’ meaning ‘digital emotional experience’ rather than suggesting that the BMW designer is a fan. Philadelphia is always sunny.
BMW
This accompanies the BMW i Vision Circular announced in 2021. The concept explored more sustainable manufacturing. This brings new human-machine interface ideas, such as a mixed reality slider that allows the driver to decide how much digital content to display in the car, with everything from basic driving information to the virtual world projected onto the window. I’m trying , that mode is intended for use in autonomous driving only.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing what is possible through the fusion of hardware and software. , can turn the car into an intelligent companion.” “It is the future of car manufacturers and the future of BMW. It is a fusion of virtual experiences and real driving pleasure. Another step on the road to Neue Classe.With this vision, we are looking to the future and highlighting the vital importance of digitalization for future product generations.”
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The i Vision Dee has a minimalist 3-box shape. Click this gallery for more information.
BMW
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i Vision Dee can project content onto the side windows, dimming them in the process. For some reason, I don’t think this feature will ever make it into production.
BMW
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The shape of the rear window is called ‘Hoffmeister Kink’ and is a BMW design signature like the kidney grille.
BMW
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The front grille cover has an e-ink panel and also includes headlights.
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The rear light blends into the body.
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BMW has experience using e-ink panels in their cars.
BMW
It’s unclear to what extent the i Vision Dee’s shape will affect the production of Neue Classe sedans. BMW is planning several models and versions of its new EV platform. 1960s and 1970s. However, I do find the shape of the exterior quite appealing, so I hope the minimalist approach to styling survives.
You can see the heavy use of “shy tech” in interior renderings. This is the first we’ve seen from BMW with the Vision iNext, a concept that has become a production iX. BMW calls this “reduction design”. It hides the touch controls behind the trim, making them generally invisible when not in use.
It’s unclear if some of Dee’s other ideas will make it into production. Augmented reality displays across the entire windshield are being developed, but until there is an actual self-driving system sold in a consumer car (as opposed to a robo-taxis like Waymo), it will be dimmed. I don’t know if there is a demand for windows that can block your view. If the car could drive itself, turning that space into a display for the occupants could come in very handy when stuck in traffic.
BMW
Still, Dee’s implementation is pretty clever, with a slider that the driver can use to move through the five levels of information display. The most basic of these shows you the information you need while driving (speed, direction, etc.). A more information-dense stage adds infotainment and communications, then augmented reality, and finally a full virtual world that (at least temporarily) blocks out the real world.
The Dee also features some exterior display technology. BMW has kept the traditional kidney grille as the face of the vehicle, but here it takes the form of an active grille that closes the nose when cooling is not needed. The surface of the grille cover is an electronic ink display that can be combined with the headlights to create different ‘faces’ of the car.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the idea of a car that uses visual cues to communicate with other road users and pedestrians, and it’s unlikely to be the last. covered. There are 240 individually controlled segments, each capable of displaying up to 32 colors.
This video showcases the i Vision Dee e-ink body panel.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing how the car can seamlessly integrate into your digital life and become a trusted partner. The car itself becomes a portal to the digital world and the driver is always in control,” says Adrian. says van Hooydonk. , Head of BMW Group Design. “Technology, implemented in the right way, can only create valuable experiences, become better drivers, and bring humans and machines closer together.”
