Munich. The driver-oriented arrangement of display
and control elements has been one of the hallmark features of BMW
model interiors for decades. The next generation of fully digital
display will be seen in the BMW iNEXT, which is due to be produced as
the premium automobile manufacturer’s technology flagship from 2021
onwards. In the new Curved Display featured in the BMW iNEXT,
information and control display areas are merged to create a single
unit that is curved towards the driver. This integrated unit geared
towards the driver optimises the visualisation of information and
facilitates intuitive touch control.
The traditional driver orientation of cockpit design was recently
optimised further with the current BMW Live Cockpit Professional.
Here, the clear structure and uniform presentation of extensively
customisable content on the fully digital instrument panel and Control
Display ensure the driver always has the right information at the
right time. The next step on from this now follows with the Curved
Display in the BMW iNEXT. It features a curvature that is geared
towards the driver. The single-section display surface creates a
particularly harmonious effect, lending additional visual emphasis to
the ergonomically optimised controls.
“The curved, single-section display is the central control element
and represents the modern interpretation of driver orientation. It
occupies a dominant central position in a highly iconic display
structure that provides a highly distinctive display experience,”
explains Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design. “The Curved Display is set
in high-quality materials and is virtually freely suspended on the
instrument panel. This makes it a key element in terms of the modern,
luxurious and generous sense of space in the BMW iNEXT.”
The Curved Display is positioned in such a way that vehicle occupants
cannot see its connection to the instrument panel. This means it
conveys a particularly striking sense of lightness. The distinctive,
high-quality design of the Curved Display draws its inspiration from
modern consumer electronics technology, with the curved display
element itself being held in place by an extremely slim magnesium
bracket. The sophisticated display technology with non-reflecting
glass also does without a hood for shading purposes, thereby giving
the cockpit area a particularly tidy and uncongested look.
“The Curved Display in the BMW iNEXT takes us to the next level of
driver-oriented controls,” says Robert Irlinger, Head of BMW i. “The
new display unit enables intuitive, natural and ergonomically perfect
use of the touch function.”
As such, the shape and arrangement of the Curved Display represents a
ground-breaking interpretation of the driver orientation that is
characteristic of BMW. At the same time, the Control Display area
remains clearly visible and accessible to the front passenger, too.
Depending on the situation and individual preferences, individual
display content items can be shifted back and forth between the
Control Display area in the driver’s direct field of vision and the
area that can be used by the front passenger.