Ever wonder what motoring will be like in the future? More specifically, how we will drive and get around? Will we fly in capsules? Or will our cars be more intelligent than we are?
While we may not exactly fly off just yet, BMW may have a few hints about the future of mobility. With autonomous cars in the horizon, carmakers like BMW are taking things a step further by allowing occupants to personalize their experience to make their time on the road truly productive. ConnectedDrive, which was first seen a few years ago, is taken a step further by allowing drivers to learn more about their surroundings—like landmarks and the like ,for instance. Plus, being connected to the world is as easy as gesturing a command.
Actually, the gesture and Air Touch are one step in the evolution of what was essentially the iDrive in the early days of the technology (a decade or two ago). Now, BMW gives us HoloActive Touch. The intuitive control system uses a free-floating display that is located above the center console. What makes this setup unique is that all controls are projected onto the space and combine the best traits of the Heads-up display, gesture control, and iDrive and take them to the future. Operation is via finger motions and confirmed by ultrasound sensations
Besides this, BMW will soon be part of one’s home, through the Connected Window. The “big screen” allow drivers to plan trips and events for the day, which can then be exchanged with their car using BMW Connected. This makes it easy to seamlessly plot the day or week ahead and simply hop into the car to get going.
To demonstrate how all this comes together, BMW will showcase the various technologies, along with an autonomous BMW 5-Series at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes folks, this is the future of mobility, according to BMW.
