Having unveiled its range-topping iX M60 at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), BMW has further showcased an array of future technologies. For example, the idea that the colour of a car’s exterior finish could be changed instantly used to be a pipe dream, but not anymore…

Some of the innovations that the Bavarian brand unveiled, such as new My Mode iDrive settings and accompanying BMW IconicSounds Electric soundtracks/-scapes, will be made available on the brand’s i-models soon, but, the sci-fi-esqueBMW iX Flow concept (featuring E Ink technology), which allows users to change the exterior colour of their vehicle at the push of a button, is certainly worth a closer look.

ICYMI:BMW iX M60 Flagship Revealed

The colour-changing technology (developed by E Ink) is derived from eReader displays;the BMW iX Flow’s surface coating is made up ofmillions of microcapsules, each of which contains negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. When they’re stimulated by means of an electrical field, either the white or black pigments collect at the surface of the microcapsules, which is how the colour of the exterior finish can be transformed from white to black (and vice versa, of course).

The Bavarian brand says that generative design processes and laser-cutting technology were implemented to ensure that the multitude of precisely fitted “ePaper segments” conformed with the contours of the iX’s sheet metal and produced life-like variations of light and shadow.

Although the colour-changing technology seems several years away from being introducedin production cars, the technology itself is very energy-efficient. Unlike displays or projectors, for example, the electrophoretic technology needs no energy to keep the chosen colour state constant, BMW says – current only flows during the short colour changing phase.

BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink technology can only alternate its entire exterior between black and white at this stage (with a range ofshades of grey in between), but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that, in future, a vehicle’s exterior finish could be manipulated to display themes and branding too, either on some of its exterior panels– or its entire bodywork.

There are some practical applications as well. BMW suggests drivers could choose a light surface on warm sunny days (white) and a heat-absorbing one (black) on cold days, for example.

“This reduces the amount of energy the vehicle electrical system needs and with it also the vehicle’s fuel or electricity consumption,” the firm said. “In an all-electric car, changing the colour in line with the weather can therefore also help to increase the range. In the interior, the technology could, for example, prevent the dashboard from heating up too much.”

Meanwhile, the latest generation iDrive operating system in the iX already affords greater personalisation of the driving experience via its selectable My Modes. At CES 2022, BMW showcased new Expressive and Relax My Mode settings, through which future BMW customers will be afforded additional ways of adapting their vehicle settings to suit various “situations and moods”.

In the new My Mode Expressive, the appearance of the graphics on the BMW Curved Display is characterised by expressive colours and abstract patterns. In My Mode Relax, the focus is on wellness, harmony and relaxation, with a display inspired by natural landscapes.

Of course, all of the My Mode settings are accompanied by distinctive BMW IconicSounds Electric soundscapes, created in cooperation between the BMW Group and the Academy Award-winningfilm-score composer Hans Zimmer (pictured above). The electrified BMW M models also employ variations of the BMW IconicSounds Electric suite developed specifically for them.

BMW IconicSounds Electric generates driving sounds that reflect the specific performance characteristics of each of the modes. “In this way, the acoustic feedback to the movements of the accelerator becomes an elementary part of the driving experience,” BMWsays. To put it another way, when you accelerate, the i-model will emit a specific audible tone, the intensity of which matches the pedal position.

BMW IconicSounds Electric will be available for the first time for the i4 in the first half of 2022 and for the iX in the second half of 2022, BMW said at the event.

Finally, the brand demonstrated also the in-car entertainment system of the future with My Mode Theatre, which is said to transform the rear of an i-model’s cabin into a private cinema lounge. When activated, a BMW Theatre Screen lowers from the headliner and rear occupants can operate the entertainment system via direct touch fields and touch panels in the doors.

The theatre screen is a 31-inch ultra-wide display in 32:9 format, with a display resolution of up to 8K. It operates in conjunction with surround sound audio, as well as 5G connectivity.

The BMW Group is working with Amazon to fully integrate the Fire TV experience within the Theatre Screen system to give rear passengers access to a wide variety of content so they can stream videos, listen to music, and watch downloaded programs, all while on the road, the firm said.

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