This new BMW 7 Series is a techno-powerhouse with luxury and tech features to make even the Mercedes-Benz S-Class jealous. Its press release was almost obnoxiously long, as it was simply jam-packed with new information and techno-jargon. It can be overwhelming to sort through that sort of info-dump from BMW, so we thought we’d compile the five best new features of the G70 7 Series.
5. 5G Data Plan
The new BMW 7 Series comes with a 5G data connection, which can be connected to your T-Mobile data plan (more carriers may come later). While that’s the least interesting feature on this list, it’s a surprisingly useful one. Not only does it allow the car to stream content to its screens (we’ll get to that later in the list), it allows the car to actually become a device on your mobile data plan, which means you can make calls and send texts from the car, without your smartphone. Why is that cool? Let’s say you drop your phone and break it, or even lose it, you still have one — your car. That can be incredibly useful in emergency situations. Though, I’d like to see BMW offer an old-school car phone accessory, that would be hilarious.
4. Level 3 Autonomy
While Level 3 autonomy isn’t allowed in every market, it is coming to some European markets, as legislation begins to change, and when it does the BMW 7 Series will be ready for it. Unlike BMW’s other systems, the 7er’s is a true Level 3 autonomous driving system, which allows the car to drive itself, entirely on its own without any driver intervention, at speeds up to 37 mph on clearly marked highways.
The system uses LiDar, as well as an array of other sensors, and doesn’t even require the driver to touch the steering wheel every so often, like current Level 2+ systems. The only thing the new Level 3 system requires of the driver, while engaged, is to keep looking forward through the windscreen, as there’s a camera that watches the driver’s face. So long as you’re looking forward, and the car stays within acceptable parameters, it will completely drive itself.
3. Rear Passenger Personal Touchscreens
Rear passengers of the BMW 7 Series are going to be pampered like in no other Bimmer before it. Not only does each rear passenger get their own climate zone, interior ambient lighting zone, and sunshades but they also get their own touchscreen to control it all. On each rear passenger door, near the door pull, are portrait-oriented touchscreens that control all of the aforementioned rear seat luxuries. They can also control any entertainment played in the car, which is easier than both rear passengers sharing a tablet screen that then needs to be placed back into the armrest to charge.
2. Automatic Doors
One of the most interesting features about the new 7 Series is one that’s actually borrowed from another BMW Group brand — Rolls-Royce. All four of the new 7ers’ doors now open and close automatically, with just the push of a button, just like a Rolls. On the outside, there are buttons next to the exterior door pulls that, if pushed, cause the door to open entirely on its own. Once sat in your seat, there are more buttons inside the doors, again near their door pulls, that when pushed close the doors automatically. True luxury car stuff, that is.
1. Theater Screen
Honestly, could the best feature be anything else? In the back seat of the new 7 Series, you can option a massive 31″ theater screen with 8k resolution. Not only is 8k absolute overkill for a 31″ screen but it also runs on Amazon Fire TV which, along with the 7 Series’ 5G connection, allows it to stream any content you want. Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, HBO Max, Disney Plus; you name it, it can do it. Additionally, it can use the incredible new Bowers & Wilkins 4D surround sound or Bluetooth headphones, offering an incredibly immersive atmosphere for rear passengers.
As if that weren’t cool enough, the screen can actually slide toward the rear passengers, so they can use it as a touchscreen itself, giving them a total of three touchscreens to use. It’s by far the coolest feature of the new 7 Series and one we can’t wait to get our hands on.
There are several other interesting tech features, which you can learn about here, but these are the five best in our opinion. We can’t wait to test them all out in the coming months.
