Most carmakers aim to turn the smart cockpit into an in-car iPad. However, BMW, which emphasizes driving pleasure, refuses to follow this trend when designing human-machine interaction for its smart cockpit.
BMW believes high-tech should be "Shy Tech," serving people rather than being a mere stack of technologies. Thus, BMW's human-machine interaction in smart cockpits is driver-centric, guided by three principles: focus, reliability, and joy.
As a leading luxury car brand and pioneer in in-car interaction, BMW has been breaking conventions for over 20 years. From simplifying controls with the original iDrive knob, introducing head-up display (HUD) from aviation to automotive, to the latest smart cockpit, the newest generation of BMW Operating System has undergone nine iterations in two decades, reaching new heights in functionality and intelligence. This progress is the result of efforts by over 9,400 software experts globally.
In China, BMW has built its largest and most comprehensive R&D network outside Germany. It is also the only country outside Germany where BMW has established a Sky Lab interaction design team and user research lab.
The latest generation BMW Operating System features 70% of its functions customized by local teams for the Chinese market. The next-generation BMW smart cockpit and operating system, set to debut globally at CES 2025, is the culmination of user research equivalent to interviewing three users daily for three consecutive years, with over 2,500 hours of in-depth one-on-one user experience interviews. The Chinese team has been deeply involved in developing the new-generation models, laying the groundwork for their production.
