You finally break out of the city onto more open roads, after an hour stuck in traffic. You need to make up some time. So, you get the car’s attention by calling it “Jarvis” (you named it Jarvis) and say, “Give me sport mode.” The car’s response is to tighten up the steering, increase throttle response from the right pedal, switch to a cool blue lighting scheme, and cue up your favorite driving mix on the stereo.
Sound like fiction? It’s coming soon.
BMW’s iDrive infotainment system has always been on the leading edge of in-car technology. It has drawn both fans and detractors over the years. But to BMW enthusiasts, each update to the system is big news. The eighth edition is on its way and is perhaps the most significant remake since its introduction.
BMW’s iDrive 8
The new iDrive 8 system will make its first appearance on the upcoming 2021 i4 electric sedan, due late this year, and the iX electric SUV, coming in early 2022. BMW says the new system is modeled on virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa.
The biggest change is the introduction of natural-language voice commands. Owners set a customizable wake word (hence, Jarvis … or whatever name you want to use) to tell the car to listen for commands. Otherwise, they don’t need to learn a specific set of commands to control iDrive. Rather, iDrive attempts to learn what the car’s occupants want it to do.
For example, BMW says, a passenger could say, “my feet are cold,” and iDrive 8 would respond by heating the floor beneath that passenger’s seat. Drivers can switch between driving modes with voice commands alone, while everyone in the car can control their own climate zone, raise and lower windows and window shades, and control lighting with voice commands.
New Features, New Face
Both EVs feature a single raised bezel containing a wide, curved screen broken into two parts – one in front of the driver in the place of the usual instrument cluster, the other centrally located so that both driver and front passenger can use it.
The system has a “face,” BMW says – a set of abstract moving circles that appear on the screens to let you know it’s listening. It can distinguish between driver and passenger commands, and appear in front of whoever is speaking.
The traditional puck-shaped iDrive rotary controller, now made of crystal, is still present on the center console. Flanking it are a series of haptic-response buttons flush with the surface.
Drivers can create pre-set modes through a phone app, controlling everything from throttle response and steering feel to the color of internal lights. The system will also “greet” drivers with “great entrance moments.” As they approach the car, the vehicle will detect the key fob, activating lighting features, turning on heated seats and steering wheel, and adjusting personalized settings as the driver gets closer.
The iDrive 8 system will include both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and will be compatible with 5G mobile technology. It will receive regular over-the-air updates, allowing BMW to improve iDrive 8 without requiring a visit to the dealership.
