iDrive 8 system demo sneak peak

[Denver BMW]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Not sure if this is in the right place but i got a chance to see a pre-production version of the new BMW iDrive 8 system that is coming for all of the BMW lineup.

Enjoy

[Ghozthunter]

If they release that update ota I'll be blocking the network to prevent it from updating.

[kjx]

Great video going deeper into the system.

Looks good for an electric car, but has no place in a gas-powered M car. I’d say the counter-clockwise rev counter in the current system doesn’t belong in an M car either - I’ve accepted it in my X5 and is okay there where the “rev experience” is secondary to richer nav info, etc. The best digital layout was the sport mode version where the rev counter ran clockwise. I’ve never owned a car with that version but drove one for a month and that’s long enough to know that was better than the successors.

[barryc365]

I hate this move toward having everything on the touch screen. I find it very distracting trying to press the buttons and navigate while driving, it's quite dangerous. I much prefer having old analogue buttons for the everyday stuff

I also hate the sharp lines of the big rectangular screens. What was wrong with the beautiful curvaceous dashboards of old that were all tilted toward the driver. Makes you feel like your in the cockpit of a fighter jet. These new dashboards are like big goofy iPads.

Not a fan! We have enough screen time in our lives without having it in the car too!

[frankiebones]

This is like when gameboy color came out and we all hated it....horrible.

[Griz]

Ultimate Driving Tablet

Remember when BMW used orange/red interior lighting because it was less disruptive to, uh, driving?

[Ghozthunter]

Next thing will be docking station for your iPads to use on your dash and take it with like like the old stereos so they wouldn't get stolen haha

[stein_325i]

Not a fan of hiding the AC and Seat Heating controls behind a menu. If you are gonna go full touchscreen it would be much better to at least always have certain controls like those always visible/available.

[TR930]

Analog gauges and a stick will always be cool.

[R N M]

I appreciate the video but the reviewer had issues swiping and clicking on things while parked - can you imagine driving and trying to turn on the A/C, heated seats etc lol

I guess I’m too old for the future. I really like the current setup BMW has with just the right amount of hard buttons for key functions on the go.

All these automakers are trying to copy Tesla. People that want a Tesla - will go and buy one. Why not cater to people that don’t want a Tesla setup, want traditional interior with advanced tech that is driver focused?!
Just seems to me like a very short sighted approach. Tesla is a tech company and their multimedia system is worlds ahead of this idrive8 so why bother copying them and complicating easy proven functions for your client base.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Griz

Ultimate Driving Tablet

Remember when BMW used orange/red interior lighting because it was less disruptive to, uh, driving?

You CAN still dim it and change it to your liking. In all honesty, they have to keep up with the times. Look at the interior of a Tesla and it is infinitely "cooler" than anyone else's interior and I know 2 people who (non enthusiasts) who went to Tesla for no other reason.

[codestar]

Nice job on the video! I'm usually all for the newer technologies but something feels off about how the screen looks to me...The rest of the vehicle is all nice curves and transitions so perfectly squared edges of the screen floating in the air contrast in a bad way. I think this would be way more palatable if they had recessed the screen into the dash instead of having it float all by itself...

[R N M]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

You CAN still dim it and change it to your liking. In all honesty, they have to keep up with the times. Look at the interior of a Tesla and it is infinitely "cooler" than anyone else's interior and I know 2 people who (non enthusiasts) who went to Tesla for no other reason.

Have you sat in a Tesla?
The material quality, fit/finish is trash of the Model Y i looked at. I was actually repulsed by it, and this is comparing it to my X3. I really can’t fathom anyone switching from a mid range BMW to any Tesla. The tech is definitely impressive though and miles ahead of BMW offers therefore BMW should leverage their strong suits rather challenge Tesla in an area that they can’t win.

[TheBingoBalls]

Played with it on the iX and i4 and it's an appropriate update to iDrive 7 and the color added gives it a nice touch vs the black/red/orange from previous versions of iDrive.

[///Mthusiast]

Oh god…. Is it me or is that panel embarrassingly laggy and choppy? Doesn't seem like a preproduction bug to me, just an artifact of sh!t tier hardware and poor RTOS development.

If you can't do touch a screen that's as smooth and responsive as Tesla's (or Rivians), just don't bother. Give me buttons instead…

[ASAP]

is this what the new m2 will get lol?

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by R N M

Have you sat in a Tesla?
The material quality, fit/finish is trash of the Model Y i looked at. I was actually repulsed by it, and this is comparing it to my X3. I really can’t fathom anyone switching from a mid range BMW to any Tesla. The tech is definitely impressive though and miles ahead of BMW offers therefore BMW should leverage their strong suits rather challenge Tesla in an area that they can’t win.

I have not sat in one (and never will! lol). Was just talking about the user interface and that people rave about the tech.

[swampfox94]

If I wanted this type of setup I would have just bought a Benz from 4 years ago

[SW19]

Looks like this will be standard on the G87 when it is released.I’m not a fan of the look of it.Seems like a very lazy way to design a screen layout.They at least better design it with proper circular Digital M Gauges.The digital shape of the gauges in this car look terrible.Hopefully in a few years they will ditch this stuck on the screen design and go back to a proper gauge layout built into the dash.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

This is like when gameboy color came out and we all hated it....horrible.

#throwback !

[R N M]

Originally Posted by SW19

Looks like this will be standard on the G87 when it is released.I’m not a fan of the look of it.Seems like a very lazy way to design a screen layout.They at least better design it with proper circular Digital M Gauges.The digital shape of the gauges in this car look terrible.Hopefully in a few years they will ditch this stuck on the screen design and go back to a proper gauge layout built into the dash.

Automakers usually sign long deals with suppliers 5+ years, so this thing will be around until next generation of cars. I just don’t get why they can’t have different dash designs for M cars vs EV.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by barryc365

I hate this move toward having everything on the touch screen. I find it very distracting trying to press the buttons and navigate while driving, it's quite dangerous. I much prefer having old analogue buttons for the everyday stuff

I also hate the sharp lines of the big rectangular screens. What was wrong with the beautiful curvaceous dashboards of old that were all tilted toward the driver. Makes you feel like your in the cockpit of a fighter jet. These new dashboards are like big goofy iPads.

Not a fan! We have enough screen time in our lives without having it in the car too!

The decision to offer touch only controls is perplexing, especially with increased emphasis on reducing distracted driving.