Every year the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) always brings a batch of new and concept cars that push the envelope of what a new car can and should be. Though few of these concept cars are released exactly as-is to the consumer market, they allow carmakers to tinker with some pretty cool ideas that benefit from the sense of competition and showmanship that comes with CES. If you want your car to stand out at CES, you have to really make something special. When you have developed the technology to make a car that can instantaneously change colors to suit your mood, CES is a great way to start showing it off. Sounds too sci-fi to be real? Take a look at the BMW i Vision DEE.
A BMW Concept Car That Changes How You See Your World
Let’s start from the beginning. The BMW i Vision is an all-electric BMW that was designed based on the concept of “reduced geometry.” The car is still a BMW—kidney grille and all—but the your current focus is supposed to be the digital features that set the car apart both inside and out. Even the car’s name DEE is an acronym that stands for “Digital Emotional Experience.” This is not the car of your forefathers, and it’s designed to stand out in a big way.
Changing Colors to Suit Your Changing Mood and Style
Last year BMW showed off the early stages of their e-ink body technology on an iX that could change to different black and white patterns at the touch of a button. This year, BMW kicked it up a notch by integrating color e-ink into the body of their i Vision DEE concept. This means that the car’s exterior can go from a cherry red with cool racing stripes to sophisticated black in a matter of moments. Though this is one of those concepts that likely won’t go into general production—it’s unclear if the current e-ink technology will withstand a bash from a shopping cart in the Target parking lot—it is incredible to see it in action.
The DEE will even detect their driver walking towards it, and can be programmed to welcome you excitedly like a faithful dog. But instead of a wagging tail, you will be welcomed with a series of graphics and sound effects designed to suit your personal style.
The Interior Digital Wonderland of the i Vision DEE
The interior of the i Vision is another way in which the DEE really stands out. It contains what BMW is calling a “Mixed Reality Slider” that works with a digital head-up display which encompasses the full windshield. This slider gives the option to adjust what exactly is projected on to the display, whether you want more or less information. The slider is also designed to be integrated with future Level 3 and 4 self-driving technologies as well. The beauty of digital is that it can be changed to suit every need without having to drastically change the car’s main components.
The digital concept has also been integrated into the dashboard, with “special touch control materials” and voice-activated inputs combined with traditional switches. The idea is that the digital controls can be customized and then augmented with the regular switches. BMW has been collecting data as to how people use the switches in their cars, and will be using that data to determine what are the most important items to have at every driver’s fingertips.
Is This Really What A Brand New BMW Will Look Like Soon?
The thing about CES is that it primarily is a show for tech people. It is where companies show off their coolest ideas, no matter how practical or impractical they are in the long run. It is likely that some of these ideas will filter into the BMW lineup eventually, but unfortunately it may be some time before you can find your car in the parking lot with a personalized psychedelic display. But in the meantime, we can dream.
