The BMW Panoramic Vision full-width head-up display previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show 2023 in the i Vision Dee concept car will be making its way to production cars in 2025, confirmed BMW boss Oliver Zipse, who made the announcement at the brand's 2023 Annual Conference.
As we already know, this system will be one of the forward-thinking technologies that BMW will introduce in its next-generation Neue Klasse vehicles, such as the future BMW 3 Series. BMW first introduced onboard computers with digital displays in the 1980s with the 7 Series of the time, but nowadays, the automaker prefers to launch new tech on more affordable compact cars first. This is the strategy it will employ with iDrive 9.
"The windscreen becomes a single large display with our new BMW Panoramic Vision, opening up completely new possibilities for the design of our vehicles," said Member of the Board for Development at BMW AG Frank Weber. "Whether the driver decides themselves which information they want to display in their own field of vision, or that all occupants can see the entire content," the tech will make the experience safer and more customizable.
This effectively confirms the incoming arrival of technology that CarBuzz discovered in February, which can switch screens off if the driver's eyes linger on a screen while driving.
Weber added, "The revolutionary projection and the significantly more clearly structured cockpit give an impressive new feeling of space and driving. We are taking our proven 'eyes on the road - hands on the wheel' slogan to a new level."
To ensure that all occupants can see the content clearly, "BMW Panoramic Vision shows information that is relevant for the driver and passengers with a higher light intensity and contrast onto a dark-coated area at the lower edge of the windscreen."
This means that, unlike existing HUD systems, the display will not be see-through. However, there is a traditional HUD element with lane markers still projected onto the windshield above the black strip. In addition, where the Panoramic Vision display is placed will certainly help keep a driver's gaze on the road. Having it clearly discernible means that it will require less concentration to understand than existing graphics, which can be near invisible in direct sunlight.
BMW says new media and entertainment features for all passengers will be detailed in due course, along with other iDrive developments to be announced for the Neue Klasse.
BMW's most futuristic tech will hit the road in just a couple of years - will the Bavarian automaker revolutionize infotainment once again, or has another manufacturer got an even better idea?