When BMW launched iDrive 9 a couple of years ago, there was initial confusion about which cars would get the new infotainment. Even in 2025, a few models still run on the old iDrive 7, while most vehicles use variations of iDrive 8. This week at CES in Las Vegas, the German luxury brand launched iDrive X. To simplify things, all models will eventually transition to the revamped setup.
Officially labeled a “close-to-production version,” the new iDrive at CES will premiere in a production model late this year. The second-generation iX3, based on the Neue Klasse platform, is leading the way. However, since BMW is now making it clear that all models will switch to high-tech displays, vehicles with combustion engines riding on the CLAR and UKL2 architectures will also inherit iDrive X.
Consequently, the massive central display and pillar-to-pillar Panoramic vision projection at the base of the windshield will one day become the norm. An optional 3D head-up display will be available at an extra cost. Future BMWs with iDrive X will have even fewer conventional controls. As BMWBLOG exclusively revealed in late 2023, the rotary dial is sadly gone.
Instead of the traditional knob, you’ll be using the steering wheel’s capacitive-touch buttons. BMW also promises “haptic switches for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selectors and window de-icers.” Don’t worry; the stalks located behind the steering wheel are staying. Some physical buttons will also survive, with the company promising an “optimal combination of analog and digital controls.”
It’s not just next-gen BMWs that will get iDrive X. Models already in production will likely adopt the new setup in the coming years. Future models could even have yet another display crammed inside the cabin. BMW admits it’s considering an extra screen just for the front passenger. We’ve already heard reports the 5 Series facelift coming in 2027 could have it.
So, there you have it: more screens and fewer buttons ”that’s what the future holds for BMW interiors.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
