BMW’s iDrive system has come a long way since its clunky inception in 2001 on the 7-Series. The infotainment system has gone through several updates and is now one of the most user friendly systems around. The fact that we’ve spent over a decade learning it has probably also helped us get to grips with it. So what’s the next step for BMW’s iDrive? BMW used the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to debut some of the new features.

iDrive Touchscreen

The iDrive system will be controllable via a touchscreen system. The standard rotary knob will still be fitted however so there’s the option to touch the screen or use the tried and trusted knob. This will make inputting destinations in the Navigation systems a bajillion times easier then rotating the dial to each individual letter like before. Whilst this may not be ground-breaking stuff BMW says it will be adding in “gesture control”. The driver or front passenger simply performs a directed gesture in the area between the gear lever, steering wheel and display.

A 3D sensor in the roof detects whether one or two fingers are being pointed, or whether the thumb and index finger are being moved towards each other. The system decodes different movements – such as tapping, finger rotations or a swiping movement to the right – and performs the desired input. A rotating movement can be used, say, to alter the volume of the radio, a finger raised to accept a phone call or a swiping movement to decline a call.

BMW likes to introduce these high-tech systems into its top end models so we would expect the touchscreen system to be available in 2016’s 7-Series. Gesture control is still very much in development so its introduction date is still quite far down the line.