BMW unveiled an updated version of its color change car technology at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, expanding the concept of black and white to a full color palette.
The German car brand showcased the technology as part of its latest concept car, the BMW i Vision Dee, which is on display at CES 2023.
Like his concept from last year, the iXFlowi Vision Dee features an exterior made from e-ink film, similar to the material used for a book reader.
But where the iX Flow could only change between black and white, the i Vision Dee offers up to 32 colors and its design allows the creation of fully customized and digitally controlled patterns on demand.
BMW included the color-changing exterior as part of a suite of features it says are meant to create a stronger bond between people and their cars. The “Dee” in the name stands for Digital Emotional Experience.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing what is possible when hardware and software merge,” said BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipse.
“In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalization to turn the car into a smart companion.”
Developed with a technology company E-inkthe exterior of the car is divided into 240 segments which can be individually controlled.
The team had to adapt E Ink technology to curved surfaces and develop new electronic controls and laser cutting processes to create the exterior.
The i Vision Dee concept also incorporates other features intended to blend the digital and physical worlds and embody a vision for the future of automotive design.
One is called the Mixed Reality Slider – a five-step slider on the dashboard that introduces immersive digital elements inside as you move your finger further.
At the first stage of the slider, the dash appears analog, with switches and digital displays hidden until needed. In the above stages, driving information is displayed on the windshield screen, with the fourth stage including augmented reality projections that could, for example, highlight a cyclist or pedestrian crossing on the road in front of you.
Going all the way to the end of the slider would involve entering an entirely virtual world, with a digital landscape projected onto the dashboard replacing that of the physical world.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we show how the car can be seamlessly integrated into your digital life and become a loyal companion,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of Design at BMW Group. “The vehicle itself becomes your gateway to the digital world – with the driver always in control.”
“Implemented in the right way, technology will create engaging experiences, make you a better driver, and simply bring humans and machines closer together.”
BMW’s windshield display, which it calls the head-up display, also gets an update with the i Vision Dee. Now spanning the full width of the windscreen, it is one of the elements of the i Vision Dee that is expected to be implemented in BMW’s production cars. The company said it will be available in its Neue Klasse models from 2025.
To complete the personalized experience, the concept car offers voice interaction, addressing the user in natural language. It also produces “facial expressions” such as winks with its digitally enhanced headlights and grille.
BMW first introduced color-changing e-ink technology with last year’s black and white iXFlowwho imagined it being used to match the driver’s mood and save energy.
The brand had already explored these ideas with the MINI Vision Next 100 conceptwhere the color change made the car adaptable to multiple users.
Photography courtesy of BMW.
The Consumer Electronics Show takes place in Las Vegas from January 5-8, 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events happening around the world.
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