With the new iDrive X infotainment system, which premiered at CES in Las Vegas this week, BMW is doubling down on screens. The center display is growing to 14.9 inches, and there’s also a high-tech Panoramic Vision. This is marketing speak for a projection stretching from one pillar to the other. It sits at the base of the windshield and has nine widgets, six of which are customizable.
Harman’s booth at CES offers visitors the opportunity to see the future of BMWs with an extra screen. A previous-generation X3 (G01) is fitted with a modified dashboard that incorporates a display for the front passenger. As previously reported, we’ve heard through the grapevine that production models will feature an extra screen. The 5 Series LCI, coming in 2027, could be among the first.
In addition, Samsung subsidiary Harman has an X5 (G05) with a modified interior featuring a center screen. Like the smaller X3, it also has something that closely resembles BMW’s own Panoramic Vision. However, neither company officially says the technologies are related. They do serve a common goal. For both BMW and Harman, the idea behind the upper display is to reduce distractions.
While that may sound ironic, the idea is that you won’t have to take your eyes off the road since the information and graphics displayed are directly in the driver’s line of sight. On the same note, BMW has engineered a new 3D head-up display for Neue Klasse cars. It will sit on top of the Panoramic Vision, specifically on the left side. Expect to see it on vehicles with combustion engines as well.
Currently, the 7 Series is the undisputed king of screens, thanks to the 5.5-inch displays mounted in the rear doors. BMW’s flagship also has an optional 31.3-inch screen that folds down from the ceiling. The Theatre Screen is also an option in China on the long-wheelbase 5 Series.
