If there’s one thing that’s certain about in-car tech, it’s that the short-term outlook sees displays engulfing more and more of our dashboards. Change is necessary as few things ever sit still, but change can also erode familiarity. The next generation of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is nearly here, and judging by a preview at CES, it looks to be doing away with the famous iDrive knob originally introduced some 24 years ago.
Previewed in concept cars such as the Vision Dee, one of the defining features of Panoramic iDrive is what BMW imaginatively calls BMW Panoramic Vision, an enormous head-up display projected onto an equally titanic black frit band at the bottom of the windshield. It’s where you’ll find stuff like vehicle speed, state of charge, and customizable widgets including distance to your destination and the weather outside.
Putting key information closer to the base of the windscreen seems great, although I’m curious as to what a tachometer would look like once this system finds its way into combustion-powered cars. I’m also curious as to whether projecting a HUD onto an opaque black surface compensates sufficiently for a HUD’s tendency to wash out when viewed through polarized sunglasses.
On the face of things, the central touchscreen interface of Panoramic iDrive looks a whole lot like iDrive 8.5, and while it will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, its resemblance to the outgoing system is enough to cause concern. See, while iDrive 8.5 did add a shortcut menu over its iDrive 8 predecessor, its lack of physical controls can be frustrating. For instance, the controls for heated seats are one menu structure deep in the touchscreen, and that can be annoying in cold weather if you’re wearing gloves. At the same time, there’s so much going on in the infotainment system that it can be difficult to navigate, and that might be the case here too.
With the current iDrive 8.5, physical controls have already been so thoroughly reduced that the iDrive knob remains a sort of kind refuge for scrolling through sensitive menus. Hop into a current BMW with iDrive 8.5 and you’ll find no physical temperature controls, for example. Unfortunately, it seems like Panoramic iDrive is ditching even more physical controls because it looks like the iconic iDrive knob is going away.
BMW makes no mention of a rotary controller, and no iDrive knob is shown in the tech demo. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering the lightweight iDrive 9 used on front-wheel-drive-based models like the X1 also doesn’t include a rotary knob, but that doesn’t make it less poignant. Considering how a rotary controller has been a defining characteristic of iDrive for the past 24 years, it truly feels like the end of an era. Sure, the first version of iDrive was too complex, but once the submenu structure was simplified, the scroll knob made for a relatively intuitive experience. So what’s on the table now for those who don’t always want to prod through a touchscreen? Well, here’s what BMW has to say:
The system continues the approach of using an optimal combination of analogue and digital controls through the use of switches, buttons, touch and voice control. There are haptic switches for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selectors and window de-icers. Other functions are optimised for operation using touch/voice control or via the multifunction steering wheel, such as telephone functions, media control systems, navigation, assisted driving, personalisation of displays, selection of MyModes and much more besides.
Look, physical controls for exterior mirrors and the shifter is real bottom of the barrel stuff, but since Tesla moved shifting duties to the touchscreen and several automakers require you to go through their infotainment systems to adjust the mirrors, I guess relegating those functions to the infotainment isn’t off the table. However, other than a physical volume control, the only thing close to physical controls for anything that isn’t a core driving function is the right pad on the multifunction steering wheel, and that brings further questions when you zoom in.
Those sure look like capacitive touch controls, don’t they? Given the vitriol Volkswagen’s taken over the past few years for its use of capacitive touch steering wheel controls, it seems surprising that BMW’s gone with touch-based steering wheel controls, but here they are. For instance, accepting a phone call from the steering wheel controls is done with a swipe rather than a press. It’s all very flash, but it’s not hard to find some concerns in how this whole system might operate and age. Plus, although it’s certainly techy, is it luxurious?
Luxury is ease. Luxury is tactile. Luxury is physical. Rap’s A-listers don’t spit bars about Apple Watches, they rap about Audemars Piguets, Hublots, and Patek Phillipes. Likewise, actual real-world luxury shoppers still buy automatic watches, not out of accuracy or reliability because they all have slight time drift and all require servicing, but because of the craftsmanship in each piece. Luxury will hire professionals to do the things they don’t want to do, or that wouldn’t be a productive and enjoyable use of their time. Luxury is less, but well-made and intuitive. Is having Zoom conferencing and mobile games in your car luxurious? Things to think about.
Anyway, expect BMW’s Panoramic iDrive to first appear next year in the Neue Klasse iX3, an incoming compact electric crossover that shouldn’t be confused with the existing iX large electric crossover. From there, we can expect it to proliferate BMW’s lineup, potentially sweeping all the way from the X1 subcompact crossover to the M5, and so on. We’ll miss the iDrive knob when it’s finally gone. Sure, it’s currently vestigial, but it’s an artifact from a different time. A time when enthusiasts bought BMWs because they simply drove better than any competing sedans.
(Photo credits: BMW)
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I’ll just continue being the old man grumbling about wanting knobs and buttons for everything.
It’s incredible how every car reviewer and car owner seems virtually unanimous about how much they like real, tactile buttons and switches for things….and yet automakers continue to insist on capacitive or menu-buried control panels.
It’s the poison mind of everyone thinking they’re Steve Jobs and that they know what you want before you do. Ah, no, you do not.
It’s also economics… screens have become cheaper than buttons and they eliminate the need to have multiple sets of buttons for different vehicle specifications and/or different languages. So of course manufacturers love them, it’s an easy cop-out for manufacturing car interiors. That’s why they’ll spend endless time convincing consumers that they want screens, because it’s cost-effective for them.
The iDrive controller from later CCC and early CIC iterations are straight forward to use, a bit bothering to navigate menus, but changing to some functionality (e.g. from full screen sat nav to radio) is really straight forward once you get used to it.
the idrive 8’s wheel is so far the worst, its too slippery for scrolling and no longer has proper tilt back & front movements, replaced by haptic feedback, the iDrive 7 is the best ive used so far!
Once they got the bugs worked out the rotary controller is a really good interface. My Mazda has a similar knob, and button setup , and I never use the touchscreen or voice control because I can just reach down and grab it. Touchscreens and capacitive pads are OK for reading the news and doodling but not driving a 6000lb death machine.
As an aside Caterpillar has a joystick instead of a steering wheel in some loaders now. Considering the complete lack of steering feedback in that type of machine it probably makes sense since you have one stick to drive and one for the loader like a modern skid steer machine
Well this sucks. My 2020 M240 was my first car with any sort of screen in it, and it was a year before I even knew it was a touch screen because the knob thingie is so intuitive. Having figured out that it’s a touch screen, I never use it; with arms that are a little shorter than normal for my size (hey, my hands are big to compensate, ahem), I don’t want to be reaching over to a touch screen to do anything. I find the iDrive controller along with the analog climate control and sound system controls to be perfect.
What’s the advantage to manufacturers to put everything onto a screen and to get rid of things like knobs for climate control and music volume? There must be some bottom-line reason they’re shepherding us all in this direction (or is it just marketing)?
A touch screen is much cheaper.
You have one interface to wire up, and make it the software engineer’s problem to do everything. You cut your BOM down by quite a bit (no buttons to design/manufacture, and the associated wiring). Your dashboard design is much more open now that you don’t have to figure out where to place said buttons.
I totally get the appeal from a manufacturer’s standpoint but I still hate consumers for accepting Tesla’s bullshit on this.
That interior looks disgusting, I am so sick of the lines and screens trend.
I’ll take fake wood grain or even fake chrome over this.
Yeah, that orangish glow what does that remind me of?
Is the horn configurable?
Two weeks ago, I bought a Mazda with a similar rotary interface. Took me about 2 days to learn to use it intuitively. Then I shut the “infotainment system” off and haven’t turned it back on since.
One of the reasons I bought my current BMW was because of the iDrive knob. I find it unintuitive to take my hand away from the center console to tap at a screen, plus I absolutely hate fingerprint marks so much that I carry a microfiber cloth to wipe off any shiny surface! Unfortunately my ’23 330i requires you to touch the screen to change the temperature, and you have to find the heated seat options in another menu. I’ve found I can do this using voice – but it is annoying. Will I buy another BMW? Possibly, depends what the competition comes up with. Right now for example, Mercedes has this awful volume slider and again, only a touch screen.
wow, I’m glad I have a 2021. Still have buttons for temps and seat heater.
My past three cars have had rotary controllers and I can’t stand them. Just give me a touchscreen or a switch. Not only are AA/CP designed with rotary as an afterthought, but they just generally suck.
BMW keeps trying to lose me as a customer – this sounds really, really bad. Their current setups are just barely acceptable, if they they eliminate more knobs and buttons I am gone.
Not sure where I will go, if the CT5-V is still around next time maybe that, maybe if Mazda keeps going upmarket a Mazda, or maybe some kind of retro-mod?
Of course my garage has already lacked a BMW for 5 years (since about the time electric assist steering took over), and BMW sales remain strong without me. All this kinda makes me sad.
Hahahahaha, no. Being a target for yet more constant advertising and data collection is not luxurious.
On the topic at hand (pun intended)…We had an X1 loaner not too long ago, the current gen without the rotary controller. It really sucked using the touchscreen after living with the knob for the last ten years in my SO’s dailies.
Here’s the problem: BMWs are not softly sprung cars. Many, many urban areas have road surfaces in really poor condition. Combine those two factors, and trying to make contact with the right little spot on the screen, which of course offers no tactile guidance or feedback, while bouncing around on rough pavement is next to impossible, even from the passenger seat where you’re not also trying to, you know, drive.
I prefer cars without any screens at all, but if you’re gonna have it, the iDrive controller had evolved into a really elegant solution, and it’s a shame to lose it.
I’m impressed they held onto the very 00s fad name of “i-drive” this long.
iMpressed, would you say?
Booooo!
During the covid chip shortages my 330 shipped without a touch screen. 100% of interactions have to happen with the knob. It’s fine, mostly dealing with car play and that works well.
It has the gesture controls but I turned those off because driving through shadows of trees tends to pause / unpause media.
They didn’t tell me this until the car was being delivered. They offered a small credit and basically said take it or leave it.
As I said it’s fine, but I bet it tanks the resale value.
The HUD in our Rav4 disappears when I have polarizing dark glasses on. Well, I can see it if I tilt my head. Works great at night (no DGs).
With polarized glasses the HUD in my BMW just gets dim and flickery, doesn’t disappear all the way. Maybe it’s my head that’s not on straight.
Perhaps it’s not possible, or there are more factors in play, but it seems to me if they polarized the HUD horizontally, as polarized sunglasses are, it wouldn’t get cancelled out. Unless you turned your head sideways. I’m sure, well I hope, some engineer somewhere has at least tried.
All behind-the-wheel knobs will remain in place.
At least no one seriously suggested the i was for intelligent.
I have iDrive 8 and really like the knob, but my wife never uses it. It’s nice that it’s there but that you can choose between it and the touchscreen. But I also have physical controls and the programmable physical buttons (that most people think are just radio station presets, but actually can be a shortcut to any menu or screen in the system) that went away with 8.5. It’s pretty much perfect and I prefer it over the changes that were made in 8.5. I tend to use the iDrive when outside of Android Auto, and then the touchscreen when in Android Auto.
I don’t think the move to capacitive buttons and no physical controls makes the user experience better, and it also makes the experience much more bland. Minimalist interiors just look boring to me.
“I don’t think the move to capacitive buttons and no physical controls makes the user experience better”
What was your first clue ? That you had to take your eyes off the road in order to operate something ?
Touchscreens and haptic controls are 100% bullshit. The best way to respond to vehicles which use this crap is : DON’T BUY THEM.
I think the next evolution of control is the voice interface, at least for BMW. I have an M850 with iDrive 7.5, overall I think its a good balance between touch and buttons.
I had a loaner 2025 430 with the extended curved touch screen and couldn’t find the heated seats in the touch screen so I simply said ‘hello bmw, set the drivers seat heat to high’ and my butt got warm. I set my navigation home by simply speaking the address. the natural language processing engine they use has gotten pretty good.
The voice system in iDrive 8 works really well, but I always forget about it. You can even say more natural things like “Hey BMW, I’m too warm” and it will lower the temperature.
The problem with voice control is that it’s dependent on remote processing. This means if you’re in a remote location, voice control may not work at all. So it’s a solution with an asterisk.
* system may not function if network is unavailable.
Open the trunk, HAL. I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.
Nice !
Some people will not know you’re referring to the famous scene in the film : “2001 : A Space Oddysey”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARJ8cAGm6JE
everyone name Dave will.
umm, I get your reference, but… David Tracy lurks here….
When I read the headline, my first thought was “remember the Vulcan saying ‘Live long and prosper’ – in this case it’s ‘hurry up and die’ “. I can’t believe it’s been around for 24 years.
Now if they can rein in those hideous grills…
My solution for touchscreen proliferation is simple : I won’t buy cars which use touchscreens.
Gordon Murray hates touchscreens. Harry Metcalfe hates touchscreens. The two aforementioned gentlemen know more about cars than the entire readership of this website. End of story.
Friends, Autopians, countrymen, I come to bury iDrive, not to praise it.
Where’s the gear selector? Please don’t tell me BMW, of all brands, is putting that on the screen…
On the 2025s I’ve driven, BMW has replaced the rocker stick and buttons with a slider that more mimics the PRNDL sequence.
It does look to have moved to the left side of the main screen, just like recent Tesla models have.
That’s what I thought I was seeing. Ugh.
I had the new Model 3 as a press car a month ago, and I didn’t hate it nearly as much as I thought I would. The auto-shift function is also kinda neat.
Likely a victim of the center console going away. Everyone ragged on iDrive and the wheel controller when it debuted but they kept refining and improving it. My 2019 330i (which still had a normal sized screen, and a few physical controls) was really easy to use, and the big rotary wheel made navigating features easy while somewhat still paying attention to the road.
The original iDrive controller that had only the big knob and one button was tough to use; this was more than fixed when they went to the system that has at least 6 buttons – with the most important button the “back” button.