BMW Unveils Revolutionary Panoramic iDrive System with AI Integration for Future Vehicles

Goodbye, buttons - BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system gives all of its cars a massive head-up display with AI assistant

New, more capable Operating System X underpins the technology BMW has unveiled what the infotainment offering will look like in its upcoming Neue Klasse range of electric vehicles at this year's CES 2025 show. Look away now if you don't like screens. Dubbed the BMW Panoramic iDrive, the infotainment offering consists of an innovative head-up display (HUD) that spans the entire width of the windshield and beams information onto a black printed surface in the lower section of the glass. According to BMW, this won't require a specialist windshield, keeping repair costs down. But most windscreens that are compatible with HUDs feature a special coating to improve visibility and these generally cost more to replace anyway. The content displayed in the so-called BMW Panoramic Vision is highly customizable and drivers can personalize the space to display content and information that is most important to them, with the vehicle remembering settings for individual users. A 3D effect ensures the graphics jump out for both drivers and passengers. In addition to this, there's another 3D head-up display that sits directly in the driver's line of vision that delivers even more content and information that BMW claims neatly compliments the full-width Panoramic Vision module. So for example, the Panoramic Vision will display details about the current driver assistance systems that are active, while the 3D HUD will offer turn-by-turn directions, should navigation be activated. The German marque has also introduced a new central touchscreen display that is angled so it faces the driver. Said to make it easier to reach and operate by those in control, the display runs BMW's latest OS X operating system that has been developed in-house for a slicker, more intuitive user experience. It is based on an Android Open Source Project software stack and allows for high levels of customization, so you can drag, drop and pin your favorite applications, as well as uploading personal photos as desktop-style background. Despite the current call from many modern vehicle owners for more easily located physical buttons, BMW has done away with pretty much all of them, and has instead committed much of the functionality to the central touchscreen and the multi-function steering wheel, complete with haptic, surface mounted buttons. BMW says it is all part of its new "shy-tech approach", which harnesses artificial intelligence and the use of Large Language Models that have been co-developed with Amazon to encourage drivers to use voice commands instead. According to the marque, users will be able to use more natural language to navigate to a destination in the initial stages, but with increased levels of functionality coming later via over-the-air updates. The introduction of OS X builds on BMW's existing Intelligent Personal Assistant, empowering it with the ability to make suggestions, such as initiating Sport Mode on a particularly twisty route or kick-starting a favored playlist. Should the driver choose to ignore these suggestions, the system will quickly learn to refrain from butting in. Controversially, BMW has said that this Panoramic iDrive system will eventually appear on all of its future vehicles, essentially ridding everything of traditional instrument clusters and physical buttons. This is particularly pertinent for a brand that once marketed itself as 'The Ultimate Diving Machine'. Soon, BMW owners will be confronted with a vast amount of information on every drive, some of which will be positioned at the furthest reaches of the windscreen, rather than directly in the driver's eye-line. Only time will tell whether the Panoramic iDrive system proves simple to navigate and intuitive to use when behind the wheel, but we already know several manufacturers have faced a backlash for committing so much important functionality to difficult-to-locate digital menus or haptic feedback buttons that change their functionality depending on modes or settings. This makes it near-impossible to obtain the muscle memory required to perform simple tasks, like defrosting the windshield with one touch, or locating the volume for the radio without diving into numerous menus. Volkswagen, for example, had to go back to the drawing board with its infotainment offering in the ID range of electric vehicles, as so many users and reviewers complained that its sparse interior made key functionality almost impossible to locate when driving... or in the dark. However, BMW is already envisioning a time where its autonomous driving systems are doing the majority of the heavy lifting and the Panoramic iDrive system essentially becomes a way for the driver to easily monitor the situation while enjoying hands-off/eyes-off travel.

BMW's AI-Powered Panoramic iDrive Will Be in All of Its New Cars Soon

Coming first to its Neue Klasse EVs before spreading across the lineup, Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X features a three-tiered display and an AI-powered voice assistant. Automotive screens get seemingly larger every year, but none are as big as the room-size dashboard that BMW used to showcase its next-generation cabin technology suite at CES 2025, with a touchscreen taller than me and a steering wheel the size of a tiny house. Look beyond the size of this ludicrous display and you'll get your best look yet at BMW's new pillar-to-pillar, AI-powered Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X, which will soon be standard equipment on all of the automaker's cars. We first saw the foundations of what would eventually become Operating System X at CES 2023 inside the iVision Dee concept. At the time, however, the augmented reality display and voice assistant tech was overshadowed by the concept's eye-catching, color-changing e-ink paint. In 2024, the vision for a panoramic display was refined in the Neue Klasse sedan and SUV concepts. Today, BMW brings it all together, highlighting the full, production-ready version of its next-generation dashboard. Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X features three display tiers working in tandem, a new design for steering wheel controls and an animated AI voice assistant. Starting from the top down, a 3D head-up display is projected onto the vehicle's windshield and into just the driver's field of view, combining live navigation information like lane guidance and 3D turn previews with advanced driver assistance info. The next tier down is perhaps the most visually impressive: an ultrawide Panoramic iDrive display that stretches from pillar to pillar for everyone in the car to see. Almost identical to the panoramic projector from the Neue Klasse sedan concept, this display combines a digital instrument cluster with speed, range and battery information, stretching to include space for up to six low-distraction widgets that can be customized by dragging and dropping from the main touchscreen. During the presentation, Saturday Night Live's Tim Meadows (the Ladies Man, himself) demonstrated a Now Playing widget for Spotify, air quality, weather tiles and more. The configuration is tied to the driver's BMW account, so shared vehicles can have different setups and themes for different drivers. Lower on the dashboard, the main touchscreen display breaks away from 90-degree angles with a parallelogram shape made possible by OLED technology. Here drivers will be able to handle more robust infotainment functions while swiping between more predictive widgets and detailed 3D maps. Meanwhile, the steering wheel gains contextual illumination for its thumb controls -- for example, lighting up the driver assist button when the feature can be activated on the highway, glowing green when assist is active and disappearing into the glossy capacitive surface when unavailable. It's 2025, so of course there's an AI powered assistant tying all of this new technology and functionality together. It features large language model voice recognition for natural, conversational commands, appearing as a stylized emoji-like avatar in the Panoramic display when called with the "Hey BMW" hot phrase. Executives used this BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to call up a destination for navigation and demonstrated its integration with other vehicle systems by activating Sport mode (complete with red illumination, custom sounds and performance monitoring widgets) with a spoken command. Beyond the expected Sport, Efficient and Silent modes, BMW tells us that it will be offering drivers even more customization of the look and feel of Panoramic iDrive via its Personal mode. Expect customizable wallpapers, adjustable color themes and "more opportunities [for BMW] to surprise customers again and again." Not just a conceptual display, BMW says its Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X will be the default and standard technology suite on all of its vehicles starting with the upcoming Neue Klasse sedan and SUV EVs previewed previously. With production of the first Neue Klasse vehicle, the iX3 EV SUV expected to begin this fall, the future is closer than you might think.

BMW's New Panoramic iDrive Adds More Screens, But With A Twist

BMW will showcase a near-production version at CES 2025. InsideEVs got an early look last November. Two thoughts crossed my mind as I stared at BMW's new panoramic screens at its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina last November. One, with software-defined vehicles (SDVs), automakers are facing the daunting task of breaking down the information overload on screens into small, easy-to-understand chunks. Battery status, charging status, route planning, ADAS, media, entertainment... there's just too much to unpack. Two, these screens are contributing to increased driver distraction, according to America's top auto safety regulators. Interestingly, BMW's solution to both these issues appears to be, well, more screens. Let me explain. BMW's current electric vehicle (EV) crop mostly rides on gas-car platforms reconfigured for EVs. Despite that, it has seen the most success among legacy German automakers so far, who are struggling with the shift to EVs. BMW even took Tesla down in Europe last July, becoming the continent's best-selling EV maker. Soon, it will open a new chapter in electrification with its Neue Klasse models, a fresh range of ground-up software-defined EVs, of which at least one is expected to go on sale this year in the U.S. The automaker has promised that the Neue Klasse models will feature new batteries and motors, revamped electronic architecture and a complete overhaul of the iDrive infotainment system. At the heart of this cabin upgrade is a new panoramic screen, a pillar-to-pillar 3D projection onto a dark-printed lower section of the windshield. Think of your smartphone's slender bar up top that shows the time, battery percentage and WiFi symbols -- but much bigger and with a 3D effect. (BMW says it has filed patent applications for this projection tech.) It aims to bring the most important driving information into the driver's line of sight to prevent them from taking their eyes off the road. Developed on BMW's new Operating System X, the new iDrive is an upgraded version of the current system, based on an Android open-source software stack like its predecessor. The panoramic projection doesn't replace any of the existing digital real estate in the cabin. It's in addition to the central infotainment system and the optional heads-up display. I saw a scaled-up, life-sized version of the Panoramic iDrive at Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina last November. I also experienced it in augmented reality. Neither of those things, unfortunately, gave me a clear sense of its real-world effectiveness. So, I'll reserve my judgment until I can experience it in the wild. What I did notice, however, was that the panoramic screen eliminates the traditional gauge cluster. Instead, it brings driver information a quick downward glance away. It's quicker than looking at your gauge cluster and more convenient than turning your neck toward a central screen. The panoramic display is divided into three screens. The one in front of the driver projects the speedometer, navigation, range and battery percentage, distance to destination and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) readings. The central and passenger-side sections showcase the AI driver assistant, Spotify, compass and air quality readings. It's, of course, highly customizable, so drivers can select what apps and information they'd like to appear in their line of sight. It's also well-integrated with vehicle functions. An incoming call, for instance, will flash on the panoramic display. Concurrently, the haptic call button on the steering wheel will be illuminated in green. Drivers can then press to answer without taking their eyes off the road or they can swipe the button to dismiss the call. (I know, it doesn't sound a whole lot different than the current system. The main difference is that your eyes remain on the road.) The central infotainment screen has undergone a complete overhaul for the Neue Klasse models. Unlike the horizontally laid out menu structure on current BMW vehicles -- controlled via the rotary selector on the center console -- the new iDrive makes the user experience more like your iPhone. (Yes, the iDrive controller is slowly becoming obsolete, but it's not completely dead yet.) The screen is tilted 72.5 degrees towards the driver to improve reach. Navigation background is now standard and apps are overlaid while climate settings are fixed at the bottom of the screen. You can change the background with wallpapers if you like. Customizing the Panoramic iDrive is easy via the central screen. All drivers have to do is drag and drop icons onto the panoramic display setting on the central screen for them to show up top. A maximum of six widgets can be dropped onto the wider display. There are four iDrive modes: Personal, Sport, Efficient and Silent. BMW purists will appreciate the Silent mode, which removes widgets for a bare minimum display. The mode makes the panoramic and the central screens default to a purple-blue blank screen with only critical information like range displayed. Moving on, thanks to a new partnership with Amazon, the latest iDrive also brings an Alexa-like personal assistant that BMW claims understands conversational commands. Instead of saying, "Hi BMW, can you please reduce cabin temperature," drivers can just say, "Hi BMW, I'm cold." It's based on a large language model (LLM) that will learn on the go with inputs from occupants, just like ChatGPT. The personal assistant will also allow drivers to set "routines," BMW officials said. With a single voice command, the vehicle can apparently trigger a set of actions. A morning routine, for example, will switch on the climate and open the news app. At launch, it will be programmable from the vehicle, but BMW engineers said remote settings may be available in the future. Starting at the end of this year, all new BMW models, electric, gas, or hybrid, will get the new Panoramic iDrive screens. At first glance, this feels more like an evolution in the right direction than a radical departure. It's nowhere as distracting as Tesla's center screen. It's less in your face than the Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen, which can be overwhelming. BMW's system instead brings key information closer to the driver's line of sight and breaks it down into easy-to-access chunks, addressing one major issue of information overload. But how well it mitigates driver distraction in the real world remains to be seen.

I just saw BMW's new Panoramic iDrive -- and it looks like a game changer

I'm going to be up front with you. I hate cars that don't have buttons, but BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system looks so sleek, intuitive and personal that I might be willing to ditch them altogether. The first thing I noticed about the Panoramic iDrive system shown here at CES 2025 is the head-up display that projects content on an ultra wide panel that goes from A-pillar to A-pillar across the entire front of the car. The left side of this display shows you critical info like what mode the car is in and your speed, and I like that it's above the steering wheel so it's easy to see. The right side of the display can be populated with all sorts of widgets, and you can personalize what these are with a simple drag and drop. For example, you could populate the head-up display with the Spotify widget, outside temperature, air quality index or traffic to destination. But the coolest feature of Panoramic IDrive is the BMW 3D Head-Up Display, which sits directly in your field of vision. This is where you'll see navigation information, such as upcoming turns, without have to glance over to the central display. This is not a new feature, as you'll find it on vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz EQS, but it's great to see it coming to BMW vehicles. In a clever bit of engineering, BMW's Operating System X is smart enough to light up the right specific controls on the multifunction steering wheel at the right time. A great example is an incoming call, which you answer right from the wheel. And don't worry -- there's buttons on the steering wheel. There's also a built-in AI voice assistant -- just say "Hey, BMW -- which can help you do things like navigate to the nearest coffee shop or change the mode of the car. During the demo we saw the car change to Performance mode and the widgets on the display changed to show info like torque, and the colors of the lights got seriously red. Again, all of this is customizable. It's kind of like having the same amount of control over your car that you do over your smart TV interface, which is the way it should be. The best part about all of this is that BMW says that Panoramic iDrive will be introduced in all new BMW models from the end of 2025. And I'll be happy to take a test drive even if there's not any buttons.

BMW Goes Big for Panoramic iDrive Preview - Video

BMW previews its next-generation dashboard tech with a screen bigger than the Neue Klasse EVs it'll arrive in next year. Get an early look at BMW Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X, its three-tiered display and AI-powered voice assistant at CES 2025. Now we just got a concrete look at the technology that's gonna be inside of every BMW in the future. Meet the new panoramic IDrive with Operating System X demonstrated on this comically large dashboard. Now panoramic IDrive is based on 3 different technologies that BMW is bringing here. Let's cut to the really good part first. The panoramic display that's over the top of the dashboard. This is a pillar to pillar display that stretches all the way across the dashboard and is visible. To all people in the car right in front of the driver, you've got things like your speed, range, things that the driver would need in a digital instrument cluster. There's also space for you to throw up 6 widgets that everybody in the car can see. Here at the presentation they demonstrated things like now playing or air quality monitoring or the weather, but you could put all sorts of things up there, and those things are gonna be tied to your BMW profile. So when you get in the car, you'll see what you like to see, but when other people who share the car with you get in, they'll see something completely different. There's all. A 3D head up display that gets projected onto the windshield. So when you're driving, you get live turn by turn navigation up there with things like lane guides or live turn previews. And when you put your car into autonomous driving mode or use any of these sort of driver assistance features, that'll also be overlaid into that same 3D head up display area. And of course the third part is the main display. It's kind of got a parallelogram shape, not the regular rectangle that you'll see, but here you'll get things like your regular 3D maps for navigation. As well as predictive widgets that you could sort of swipe through to get quick access to all the sorts of things that you may need to do while you're driving. And because this is CES, you know there's AI built into the dashboard here in the form of BMW's intelligent assistant, a little emoji dude who lives in that panoramic display that answers to the hey BMW command. You can talk to that guy and just ask it to give you directions to where you're going, and it'll also tie into other parts of the vehicle system. So when it's time to go into sport mode, you can just say, hey BMW. Activate sport mode and the whole car gets a whole lot hotter. Now, the most interesting thing about this is that it's not a concept. BMW says that the dashboard that you see right here, albeit a much more manageable human size, will be the exact technology you'll see in every BMW car going forward after their new Neue class of EVs launches in the very near future. If you want to hear more about this technology, be sure to head over to CNET.com, where we've got a deeper dive into it, and that's where you'll also find the rest of our coverage of CES 2025. Drive safe and I'll see you there.