BMW unveiled at CES the i Vision Future Interaction concept and the i8 Mirrorless concept. The first one is essentially an upgraded i8 Spyder concept featuring a high-tech interior that is designed for autonomous driving and it has no doors.
The concept features a number of new technologies such as AirTouch, a system that allows users to control the entertainment system, navigation and communication systems through gestures, in front of large touch screens without the need of touching them. The AirTouch technology uses a series of sensors to monitor and record the movements of the hands and it is more advanced than the Gesture Control available in the 7 Series. It allows three-dimensional gestures from the driver and the passenger and it reduces the number of steps required to make a selection by the passenger.
In the passenger side there is an extra-wide 21 inch screen that when the car is in standalone mode, it becomes a huge entertainment system that allows the driver to access the internet, watch video and read their emails. Also it displays all the information about the charge level of the batteries and also the navigation system’s database. The mode selection of the car is made through a switch and it has three options, Pure Drive, Assist Drive and Auto Mode, the first option allows the driver to drive the car normally, the second one allows the car to intervene when a potential conflict is identified and the last one is essentially the fully autonomous mode. In it, the wheel is illuminated with a blue color, it moves forward and it provides the user additional space to relax. Also sports the seats change their settings to provide greater comfort.
The i8 Mirrorless concept is an i8 that instead of exterior mirrors, it has cameras, with a third camera located on top of the rear window. The images of the three cameras are combined into a single image displayed on a high-resolution screen that replaces the traditional main mirror. BMW says the resulting image from the cameras provide a wider viewing angle than the one provided by traditional mirrors, with the digital mirror to alert the driver when another vehicle is approaching, if he wants to change lane.
BMW presented also at CES the i3 Extended Rearview Mirror concept, which features a camera on the roof of the vehicle, with its image to appear in the central interior mirror. They also unveiled the Connected platform which now includes the function Open Mobility Cloud, connecting the i3 with the smart home of its owner.
