BMW new concept sports 3D gesture control and a self-driving mode

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, BMW AG unveiled a new concept dubbed the i Vision Future Interaction. Based on BMW’s i8 Concept Spyder that was shown at the Beijing Motor Show in 2012, the i Vision Future Interaction showcases some innovative new tech, including a new 3D gesture control system and different driving modes.

First off, there’s BMW’s new AirTouch gesture control system that allows the driver and front passenger to control the car’s navigation, entertainment, and connectivity functions with three-dimensional gestures made with a flat hand.

Using sensors installed in the instrument dashboard, AirTouch activates the motion recognition software on a large, 21-inch panorama display. The driver or front passenger can navigate the interface using basic hand gestures without the need to touch the display. Actions are confirmed via one of two concealed AirTouch buttons: one on the left rim of the steering wheel for the driver’s use and one located on the side sill in the passenger door. AirTouch also reduces the number of steps needed to perform any action by intuitively bringing up what it thinks the next step will be. For example, when activating the phone pad, the system automatically brings up contacts or call lists to the top select level so that a call can be made with just one further action.

Self-driving BMW

In addition to AirTouch, the i Vision Future Interaction boasts three driving modes: Pure Drive, Assist, and Auto.

In Pure Drive mode, the driver has full control over the car and all relevant information, such as speed, speed limits or navigation information, is shown on a heads-up display . In Assist Mode, the driver maintains full control as long as nothing goes wrong. Various driving aids will automatically kick in should the car detect an imminent and unavoidable collision with another vehicle or object in the road.

Auto Mode essentially turns the i Vision Future Interaction into a self-driving car, able to get from A to B without any input from the driver. With Auto Mode activated, the car’s steering wheel turns blue (lest you forget its driving itself) and moves forward a few inches, and the seats readjust themselves to become less supportive and allow the driver more room to move. A system alert, issued at least five to seven seconds in advance, will inform the driver should he need to take over control of the car.

Both AirTouch and the self-driving technology will make an appearance on production BMWs in the coming years.