It’s usually stated that BMW’s future success primarily depends upon developments in sustainable applied sciences, like battery electrical powertrains and hydrogen gas cells. Nonetheless, the Bavarian automaker can be making equally consequential investments in software program, synthetic intelligence, cloud computing, and connectivity. It is because the obstacles to entry for electrical autos are decrease in comparison with inner combustion engine autos, thereby making it tougher for OEMs to distinguish on {hardware} alone.
Certainly, a McKinsey examine revealed that 59 % of luxurious automotive consumers in China—BMW’s largest market—are keen to change manufacturers for superior connectivity options. In the meantime, an S&P survey discovered that over 85 % of drivers desired touchscreens, with nearly 35 % even endorsing pillar-to-pillar shows (akin to the Mercedes-Benz 56-inch “Hyperscreen” seen within the EQS).
BMW, for its half, has been transitioning in direction of a screen-heavy interface in recent times, with the most recent iDrive (iDrive X) as a main instance. It incorporates a 17.9-inch heart display screen, pillar-to-pillar Panoramic Show and 3D head-up show (HUD). Moreover, the iDrive controller has been eradicated, and nearly all of features are operated through contact, voice or haptic management. Notably, the brand new system’s demo suggests BMW might lastly have a digital ecosystem akin to Tesla’s.
Touchscreens: Extra Harmful Than Drunk Driving?
As but, there’s additionally a draw back to contemplate — screen-heavy interiors pose vital distraction and security dangers. Living proof: a take a look at by Swedish automotive journal Vi Bilägare demonstrated that primary duties like altering radio stations and adjusting local weather management in a 2005 Volvo V70 with bodily controls required much less time trying off the highway than touchscreens within the Tesla Mannequin 3, the BMW iX, and the Volkswagen ID.3.
Equally, an IAM RoadSmart examine discovered that utilizing touchscreens with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto slowed drivers’ response occasions greater than alcohol or hashish. To be exact, whereas drunk driving diminished response time by 12 % and marijuana by 21 %, CarPlay/Android Auto impaired it by over 50 %. Even voice instructions by means of these programs resulted in a response time discount of over 30 %.
That being stated, a lot of this additionally stems from the truth that most automakers’ software program interfaces and UI/UX are complicated and unintuitive. That is very true for legacy German carmakers like BMW and VW Group, who had been initially gradual to acknowledge the significance of software-defined autos — keep in mind, BMW managed a mediocre tenth-place rating within the Wards Intelligence 2023 SDV Examine, the place Tesla, Rivian, NIO, and Lucid led the record.
After all, Germany doesn’t possess the identical breadth of I.T. capabilities as America, China, and even India, which means BMW faces numerous systemic points which can be frankly past its management. Nonetheless, the Bavarian OEM nonetheless must discover a solution to navigate these obstacles.
It’s All About Security
On the finish of the day, the World Well being Group (WHO) studies a staggering 1.19 million highway accident fatalities annually, costing nations three % of their gross home product (GDP). Whereas distracted driving isn’t the only reason for accidents, it stays a number one issue, alongside points resembling unsafe autos, poor highway infrastructure, weak legislation enforcement, and rushing. In the US, as an example, distracted driving was linked to not less than eight % of deadly automotive accidents in 2022.
As a accountable company citizen, BMW has to make sure its autos and prospects don’t contribute to this escalating downside. The Munich-based OEM anyway has a repute for aggressive driving—a notion greatest captured by a Wall Road Journal headline that proclaimed, “BMW drivers actually are jerks.” A fancy consumer interface that makes its automobiles tougher to function would solely exacerbate the difficulty.
