The Latest BMW iDrive 8 Operating System Puts the Driver in Control

With an electric all-wheel-drive powertrain controlled by a suite of advanced sensors and software, the BMW iX xDrive50 is one of the most technologically-advanced vehicles on the road. All of this advanced tech, however, isn’t much use to a driver without an equally advanced user interface. Fortunately, BMW has delivered there, too, with a new version of its operating system, BMW iDrive 8, running across a sleek and crisp curved widescreen display that puts the extensive capabilities of the BMW iX xDrive50 within easy reach.

When BMW set out to design the iX xDrive50, its engineers were determined to create the most innovative vehicle the company had ever produced, and that meant much more than just adding bigger screens. Instead, BMW’s team of more than 10,000 software engineers have delivered what might be the world’s simplest, safest and most visually stunning in-vehicle operating system ever, BMW iDrive 8. Underpinned by 5G connectivity and gigabit ethernet for blazing fast speeds, BMW iDrive 8 enhances the driving experience with a driver-centric design, “shy tech” features, and a bold, emotional graphic interface. The BMW iX xDrive50’s intuitive interface features half as many buttons as previous BMW models, while still allowing the driver to control the vehicle via touchscreens, physical iDrive controller, and voice control. You’ve got options; rather than forcing a driver to use one type of interface, you get to control the system in a way that makes sense for you. No matter what you choose, everything from climate control to navigation to range prediction is meant to be quickly and intuitively accessible, so you can focus on the road.

Composed of a 12.3-inch information display and a 14.9-inch control display, the vehicle’s expansive new BMW Curved Display puts information on a big, bright single-panel screen. The additional real estate means the features you want are in the right place at the right time. In BMW iDrive 8, digital services for navigation, parking, and charging are fully integrated, app-style, into the cloud-based BMW Maps system, resulting in up-to-the-minute traffic updates, seamless destination input, and 120 million points of interest worldwide. When combined with BMW ID – your exclusive driver profile that travels with you between BMW vehicles – BMW Maps becomes a powerful and intuitive navigational tool that will learn from your past driving habits to anticipate your likely destinations, alerting you to delays or hazards along your regular route. BMW Maps will also help you find a parking space, calculate a parking search route based on a probability analysis, and suggest nearby spaces with electric charging facilities.

As customizable as it is powerful, BMW iDrive 8 also makes it easy to toggle between driving modes, which optimize settings for everything from the drive system and chassis to ambient lighting colour to seat backrest width. In Sport, Efficient, and Personal mode, the vehicle takes on a new feel according to a driver’s needs. Efficient mode is focused on sustainable driving, and offers the driver instantaneous feedback to use as little energy as possible, while Personal mode allows you to customize lighting colour, display layouts, and a wide range of other settings to create the perfect personal driving experience. To feel the full power of the BMW iX xDrive50 – which can sprint 0-100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds thanks to its all-wheel-drive electric powertrain – Sport mode offers a more dialled-in view across the curved widescreen display, turning the ambient light a dynamic orange, and narrowing seat backrests for a sportier feel. After all, just because the BMW iX xDrive50 is the smartest BMW ever doesn’t mean it can’t also be one of the most fun to drive, too.

Learn more about the BMW iX here