It’s typically mentioned that BMW’s future success primarily is determined by developments in sustainable applied sciences, like battery electrical powertrains and hydrogen gas cells. Nevertheless, the Bavarian automaker can be making equally consequential investments in software program, synthetic intelligence, cloud computing, and connectivity. It is because the limitations to entry for electrical automobiles are decrease in comparison with inner combustion engine automobiles, thereby making it tougher for OEMs to distinguish on {hardware} alone.
Certainly, a McKinsey research revealed that 59 p.c of luxurious automotive patrons in China—BMW’s greatest market—are keen to modify manufacturers for superior connectivity options. In the meantime, an S&P survey discovered that over 85 p.c of drivers desired touchscreens, with nearly 35 p.c 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 lately, with the newest iDrive (iDrive X) as a major instance. It encompasses a 17.9-inch heart display, pillar-to-pillar Panoramic Show and 3D head-up show (HUD). Moreover, the iDrive controller has been eradicated, and nearly all of capabilities are operated by way of contact, voice or haptic management. Notably, the brand new system’s demo suggests BMW could 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 fundamental duties like altering radio stations and adjusting local weather management in a 2005 Volvo V70 with bodily controls required much less time wanting off the street than touchscreens within the Tesla Mannequin 3, the BMW iX, and the Volkswagen ID.3.
Equally, an IAM RoadSmart research discovered that utilizing touchscreens with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto slowed drivers’ response instances greater than alcohol or hashish. To be exact, whereas drunk driving decreased response time by 12 p.c and marijuana by 21 p.c, CarPlay/Android Auto impaired it by over 50 p.c. Even voice instructions by these techniques resulted in a response time discount of over 30 p.c.
That being mentioned, 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 sluggish to acknowledge the significance of software-defined automobiles — bear 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 varied systemic points which can be frankly past its management. Nonetheless, the Bavarian OEM nonetheless must discover a method to navigate these obstacles.
It’s All About Security
On the finish of the day, the World Well being Group (WHO) stories a staggering 1.19 million street accident fatalities every year, costing international locations three p.c of their gross home product (GDP). Whereas distracted driving isn’t the only real reason for accidents, it stays a number one issue, alongside points resembling unsafe automobiles, poor street infrastructure, weak regulation enforcement, and dashing. In the US, as an illustration, distracted driving was linked to not less than eight p.c of deadly automotive accidents in 2022.
As a accountable company citizen, BMW has to make sure its automobiles and clients don’t contribute to this escalating downside. The Munich-based OEM anyway has a fame 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 problem.
