BMW iDrive Controller before off?

The iDrive Controller has been an integral part of all BMW models for many years, at least until today. Today the facelift of the 2er Active Touring was presented, this comes with the new BMW OS 8 operating system but without the well-known rotary push button.

In the press release on the BMW 2 Series Active Touring, BMW writes the following about the infotainment system:

The new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is the first model in the premium compact segment to be equipped with the latest version of the BMW iDrive display and control system. With the new software generation of the BMW Operating System 8 and particularly powerful networking and data processing, it leads the interaction between driver and vehicle into the digital future. The new BMW iDrive offers significantly expanded options for intuitive, multimodal and convenient control of vehicle navigation, infotainment and communication functions as well as for the use of digital services.

The user experience in the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is shaped by the seamless interaction between the BMW Curved Display, voice control, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and the optional BMW Head-Up Display. With the new display network and the continuously increased capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the new BMW iDrive is consistently geared towards dialogue using touch controls and natural language. As a result, the operating steps carried out with the BMW controller in the previous model can now be carried out even more easily and intuitively using the touch function, voice control or the steering wheel buttons.

When looking at the cockpit of the BMW 2 Series Active Touring, parallels to the electric BMW iX are immediately apparent. But the lack of the rotary push button in the center console will probably be obvious to every BMW connoisseur at first glance.

The 2 Series Active Toruing comes as standard with the latest version of the infotainment system, the BMW OS8 and the BMW Curved Display.

The trend to forego buttons and thus reduce complexity is certainly sensible, but at the same time also tricky. Humans are creatures of habit and often find it difficult to change the operating concept. Therefore, BMW is likely to have deliberately chosen the 2 Series Active Touring for this venture, as it is aimed at a younger target group than the other models from the higher classes.

In order to make the switch to touch and language easier, BMW has made various adjustments to the design of the 2 Series Active Touring.

• The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer has a state-of-the-art cockpit with typical BMW driver orientation
• The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is standard equipment on the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. He is a car expert, a loyal companion who gives the driver the best possible support through speech.
• The operation of the control display with touch function is optimized in particular by the fact that the screen is positioned much closer to the driver than its predecessor. This means that the touchscreen can be reached ergonomically and comfortably.
• In addition to the direct menu touchpoints, there are also buttons that are located where the customer expects them. In the standard multifunction steering wheel, the content of the information display and the optional head-up display can be adjusted using the new turn-push-tilt knurled wheel.
• Touch operation of the control display is also made easier by a support surface for the ball of the hand that is cleverly integrated into the design of the dashboard.
• The menu structure, which can be operated logically, in which features are assigned a color theme and the direct menu touchpoints, enable functions to be visually captured and executed more quickly. Freely customizable widgets also contribute to this, with which content can be individually configured and summarized so that it is particularly easily accessible.

Has the BMW iDrive Controller come to an end?

At this point I admit that I have a hard time thinking about a BMW without a rotary push button. For me as a frequent driver and car tester, there are always moments when I have found that physical buttons that can be reached and operated blindly while driving are a good thing.

Only a few of the pure touch systems currently being tested on the market can fully convince me in terms of usability.

Of course, you have to consider that there was a time when computers without a keyboard or cell phones without keys were unimaginable, so it remains to be seen how well the system works in practice and how much you get used to it.

When I asked BMW about the future of the iDrive Controller in other vehicle models, I was informed that the BMW iDrive was not a fixed set of features and operating options. During development, a vehicle is always optimized for the respective overall concept.

My assessment is therefore that we should see the iDrive Controller in other models, at least for a while. Customer feedback is likely to be decisive for the future of the iDrive Controller.