Frank Weber from BMW Reveals Insights on iDrive X: More Intelligent Vehicles, Enhanced Driving Experiences

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Roundtable events are a good way for higher-ups in any organization to let slip morsels of information that got overlooked for the press release. Particularly when the roundtable involves someone like Frank Weber, CTO and member of the board of management of BMW. Today we share insights from the BMW veteran about the newest iDrive software, iDrive X.

No Larger Screens – BMW “Links You to the Journey”

“When we observed our rivals expanding their display sizes, we questioned whether that was the direction we wanted to take,” Weber reflects when discussing the central screen. He asserts that the brand aimed to avoid going “even larger…a big TV screen takes your focus away from the road. We experimented with what they termed hyper screens and similar concepts, and yes, they were substantial,” he remarks, subtly criticizing the oversized screens featured in numerous Mercedes models today.”

BMW links you to the steering wheel, which in turn connects to the vehicle, and the vehicle engages with the road. This is exactly the kind of experience you anticipate from a BMW. We completely concur.

Weber expressed significant concerns regarding the increasing screen sizes in the industry. He stated, “Simply enlarging screens is not the solution.” According to him, larger screens pose greater challenges in terms of safe usability for drivers, particularly when it comes to touch accessibility. He advocates for maintaining a singular, central display positioned nearer to the steering wheel, which he believes provides “optimal touch conditions.”

Larger Screens, Greater Usage

Of course, BMW’s screen size may be staying small compared to the competition, but it’s still growing to 17.9 inches. And there’s a lot of additional hardware to power when you consider the 3D head-up display and panoramic display. How does that compare to the current setups when it comes to power consumption? “We are looking for every watt-hour that we can preserve,” Weber starts. “Unfortunately, it is the system setup.” According to Weber, there’s an entire department tasked with managing energy efficiency. Weber says that, compared to today’s 12.0-inch display and curved display, the new setup consumes around 10 percent more energy.

Countering Apple CarPlay with Enhanced Firepower

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In a rather provocative statement, Mr. Weber expresses his openness to opposing Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. He views these platforms as merely a “temporary fix” and argues that BMW should focus on developing a more “cohesive system.” According to him, the BMW interface is far more advanced and versatile than a system limited to just CarPlay. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that iDrive X supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Actions often carry more weight than mere words, and despite any usability concerns you may have, iDrive X is set to deliver some significant advancements. During the presentation, a video call was conducted directly through the screen, and it seems this feature will be available in production vehicles, not just as a demo. This gives it an edge over CarPlay. Weber humorously remarked, “This is our year, 2025… I’m finished with visions and concepts. What you’ve seen is legitimate, so yes, you will be able to [make video calls].”

iDrive X Across Various Models: From the X1 to the 7 Series