Head-up displays (HUDs) have been around for quite a while. The first manufacturer to introduce such technology was Oldsmobile, in the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The technology behind it hasn’t radically changed, as it still uses projection or reflected transparent displays. BMW is looking to reimagine HUDs with the new BMW Panoramic Vision, which will go into production with the first Neue Klasse models.
Neue Klasse is BMW’s all-new architecture which will be used on EVs, mainly focusing on the midsize car segment. The Bavarian automaker is also currently developing an entirely new technological platform for the Neue Klasse, intending to set new standards in digitalization, sustainability, and design for electric cars.
Panoramic Vision is one of the groundbreaking techy features of the Neue Klasse. It will project across the entire width of the windscreen, creating an interaction and information surface for all occupants, not just for the driver.
Frank Weber, Member of the Board for Development at BMW AG, described the benefits of using the Panoramic Vision system. He explained that the windscreen becomes a single massive display. The driver can choose whether to display the content to all occupants or in their own field of vision, like in conventional HUDs. Weber also said that the new projection technology combined with a more structured cockpit provides a new feeling of space and driving, all centered around BMW’s “eyes on the road – hands on the wheel” slogan.
So, how does this technology make the content visible to all passengers? It displays it utilizing higher light intensity and contrast onto a dark-coated area at the windscreen’s lower edge. This way, the system creates a very sharp image visible across the entire width of the windshield.
Photo: BMW
BMW Panoramic Vision was created following the German brand’s consistent driver-centric approach, and it will be paired with the new BMW iDrive control system in the Neue Klasse vehicles. The Bavarian Group has vast expertise in developing tech-filled cockpits, starting with the on-board computers with digital displays in the 1980s BMW 7 Series. The company is keen on continuing to innovate, and the Neue Klasse will showcase their vision of the future of automotive.
If you followed this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, you might have seen the BMW I Vision Dee vehicle. It featured an extended head-up display that blended reality with the virtual world by turning the windscreen into a projection surface. The technology is now brought to life in the Neue Klasse vehicles with Panoramic Vision. Admittedly, the I Vision Dee car also augmented reality projections and could even immerse you in a digital world. BMW is most likely working on integrating these features in the future.
BMW hasn’t yet revealed all the details regarding the Neue Klasse, which will begin series production in 2025. The automaker will provide us with more updates at the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany, from September 5 to 10. Stay tuned to find out more.
Starting out with a motorcycle permit just because he could get one two years earlier than a driver's license, Mircea keeps his passion for bikes (motor or no motor) alive to this day. His lifelong dream is to build his own custom camper van. Full profile
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