BMW iDrive 8 Gallery

BMW is pulling back the curtain on iDrive 8, the eighth-generation of its infotainment platform. Debuting on the BMW iX all-electric SUV and the i4 electric sedan, the new system will feature larger displays and retire some of the physical controls familiar from existing BMW cabins. In their place, there'll be a greater reliance on proactive menus and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

The dashboard will be topped with the new BMW Curved Display, a pair of large, high-resolution screens in a sheet of curved, anti-reflective glass. The center panel will be a 14.9-inch touchscreen. The iDrive Controller knob will be kept, in the center console, alongside a touchpad with haptic panels for shortcuts.

As for the software, that will use new themes and there'll be embedded 5G plus onboard gigabit ethernet for faster data communication. BMW expects to tap that new turn of speed for future driver-assistance systems in the run-up to autonomous vehicles.