• New BMW Panoramic Vision is a pillar-to-pillar projection bringing key information closer to the driver’s line of sight.
• It will debut on the Neue Klasse models and will be equipped on all new BMWs starting the end of this year.
• BMW will showcase a near-production version at CES 2025. InsideEVs got an early look last November.

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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.

Panoramic iDrive Is A Giant Heads-Up Display

Photo by: BMW

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.)

New Central Display, Now In Reverse Italics

Photo by: BMW

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.

Drive Modes, AI And Routines

Photo by: BMW

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.

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