Earlier this 12 months, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, BMW unveiled its most superior infotainment system so far: the iDrive X. Now, at BMW Tech Days held not too long ago on the BMW R&D Heart in Beijing, BMW took the chance to reveal precisely how this international platform has been uniquely tailored to fulfill the particular wants and tastes of consumers in China.
It’s necessary to notice first that the iDrive X platform itself is common, constructed on shared international software program code that underpins BMW’s next-generation digital cockpit worldwide. However to ship an intuitive and immersive expertise really related to Chinese language clients, BMW’s native user-interface and user-experience groups—primarily based primarily in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing—have spent vital time adapting and tailoring the platform. BMW refers internally to this extremely specialised design and growth unit because the “Skylab workforce,” which stays the automaker’s largest full-stack interplay design group exterior of Munich.
The “Visible Cone”
One of many standout design rules revealed throughout BMW Tech Days was the “Visible Cone.” Interplay Design Director Daisy Xu described this strategy as rigorously positioning the cockpit’s shows and controls in order that they naturally fall inside the driver’s central field of regard. People sometimes have about 120 levels of peripheral imaginative and prescient, Xu defined, “however the really crucial info—the knowledge drivers rely on most—is concentrated inside a a lot smaller 30-degree visible cone straight forward. We designed the cockpit with this in thoughts, making a delicate however efficient technique to information a driver’s eyes naturally towards the highway.”
Key Options and Apps for Chinese language Prospects
Past ergonomic enhancements, the Chinese language iDrive X expertise provides key options that straight align with native buyer preferences. For instance, BMW’s analysis confirmed that Chinese language drivers sometimes desire extra immersive leisure options and simpler entry to infotainment capabilities throughout every day commutes—usually at decrease speeds attributable to city congestion.
To accommodate this, BMW’s China workforce built-in common native streaming companies resembling iQiyi straight into the infotainment platform. Because of this, Chinese language drivers and passengers can now take pleasure in a cinema-like viewing expertise from the central infotainment display screen, particularly useful throughout prolonged durations of stop-and-go or stationary site visitors frequent in China’s city environments.
In truth, BMW took an unconventional however considerate strategy by unlocking extra infotainment performance at decrease speeds, contrasting sharply with typical trade apply of proscribing options whereas driving slowly. UX designer Andrea Feng highlighted this level particularly: “As an alternative of locking out options at low speeds—which is usually the case elsewhere—we selected to offer higher performance when site visitors slows down or stops utterly. It is a direct response to how driving actually occurs in China’s cities.”
Moreover, BMW’s Skylab workforce paid specific consideration to culturally-specific experiences. One function that resonated deeply with native media in the course of the occasion was BMW’s distinctive strategy to music playback. Recognizing the cultural significance of lyrics and poetic traditions in China, the brand new iDrive X prominently shows track lyrics clearly on the panoramic display screen. As Feng defined, “In China, music appreciation goes past rhythm and melody. Lyrics usually carry deeper poetic meanings, so we made positive the lyrics are visually highlighted, enabling passengers to understand songs absolutely and emotionally.”
A Redesigned Steering Wheel
BMW additionally took vital steps ahead in cockpit {hardware} design for its Neue Klasse fashions, beginning with a dramatically redesigned steering wheel. In contrast to typical BMW steering wheels, the brand new design options spokes at 6 and 12 o’clock positions. The steering was additionally rigorously designed so drivers can comfortably grip it on the traditional 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The positioning of haptic buttons and surfaces ensures easy operation whereas holding the palms on the steering wheel, a transparent ergonomic enchancment meant to boost the general person expertise.
Moreover, the central infotainment display screen has been rigorously repositioned, tilted exactly 17.5 levels towards the motive force. BMW made this adjustment after learning driver habits extensively, aiming to stop crucial info from being blocked by the steering wheel or driver’s arm. “We’ve angled the display screen particularly to keep up clear visibility,” BMW defined, “guaranteeing essential controls and data all the time stay in direct sight.”
The Panoramic Show with HUD
Maybe probably the most visually spectacular side of the iDrive X is the expansive Panoramic show. Spanning from A-pillar to A-pillar, this cutting-edge function initiatives info straight onto specialised nano-coated glass, attaining crystal-clear decision. BMW additionally addressed a standard problem—visibility via polarized sun shades—by incorporating optical enhancements that guarantee drivers carrying polarized lenses can clearly learn all projected info, eradicating a typical pain-point for a lot of drivers.
One factor was clear on the finish of the tech workshop. BMW’s considerate, locally-tailored diversifications of the brand new infotainment system underscore the model’s understanding of its Chinese language buyer base. And now greater than every other iDrive system earlier than, the brand new Working System X will ship a genuinely participating and culturally related expertise tailor-made to drivers in China.
We’ll study extra concerning the iDrive X’s distinctive Chinese language-market diversifications on the upcoming Shanghai Auto Present this April, so keep tuned!
