BMW’s future mobility at CES 2020

The BMW Group presents mobility experiences of the future, summed up by the hashtag #ChangeYourPerception, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas from January 7-10.

Its show stand features the BMW i Interaction Ease, offering a glimpse into a future where autonomous driving has become commonplace.

The stand’s concept car has an abstract exterior appearance to focus attention on the interior. The cabin aims to give passengers the feeling of having arrived at their destination while still en route and highlights the potential of intuitive, almost human-like interaction between passenger and vehicle.

The vehicle’s artificial intelligence (AI) detects when a passenger fixes their gaze on an object outside the car and offers them relevant information on it or other ways to interact.

Three BMW X7 models have been fitted with the ZeroG Lounger, ready for series production vehicles in a few years, which presents a new way of relaxing on the road.

The seat can be tilted back by up to 60 degrees.

A third highlight on display is the BMW i3 Urban Suite, offering a mobility experience tailored to the passenger’s needs. Only the driver’s seat and the dashboard were left untouched in the transformation focusing on sustainability.

About 20 examples of the BMW i3 Urban Suite, summoned via an app, are in action on Las Vegas streets. Lounge chairs offer generous legroom and a Sound Zone allows passengers to block outside noise.

The BMW iNext to be launched in 2021 comes with 5G capability, likely to make the BMW Group the world’s first premium carmaker to offer the new mobile standard in a production model. BMW’s outdoor area at the event will host a live demonstration

A 5G demonstration is hosted at BMW’s outdoor area.

BMW i3 Urban Suite includes a clothes hanger, a storage tray between the driver’s seat and wooden table which can hold a bag or laptop, and a pair of thermoelectric cup holders in the centre console. A screen flips down from the headliner for work or entertainment.

Passengers can watch shows and movies via Amazon Fire TV, while 110-volt charging sockets provide power for devices.

“Interaction with the vehicle is made as simple, as intuitive, and above all, as human as possible,” BMW Group design senior vice president Adrian van Hooydonk says.

“The BMW i Interaction Ease offers an intelligent combination of different operating modes. This elevates forms of interaction already familiar from the current BMW model range – ie using touch control, gesture control and natural speech to converse with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.”

The BMW Group and Qualcomm Technologies also provide a demonstration at CES showing the potential of cellular vehicular to everything (C- V2X) to protect vulnerable road users such as cyclists, e-scooter and motorbike riders.