Report: BMW to get updated electronics, new 7-Series will be first to receive
There are many who will argue on both sides for and against BMW electronics for various reasons. Though of course, most of those issues were related to Bosch, who has been the supplier for many of BMW’s electronics, even to this day. And of course, there are lovers and haters of the latter. But either way, word in the pipeline via WhatCar? is that BMW’s in the near-future will be getting a significant overhaul with their electronics.
But hold your horses—if you were expecting news that their iDrive system will disappear, you’ll be disappointed. And that’s because the electronics overhaul that’s being spoken of is described to “offer buyers more rapid upgrades in the car’s cabins.”
In other words, owners will be able to receive updates to displays, applications, and interfaces in the cabin. These words come from Dr. Klaus Draeger of BMW, a recently appointed BMW board member for research and development.
Of course, to no surprise, the next flagship 7-Series will be the first models to receive these new electronics, which hits European showrooms in September.
“We all know that in consumer electronics, product lives are much shorter than they are in the car industry. How long do we keep a smartphone before it is out of date – maybe 18 months or a year?” said Draeger. “Yet a car can be on sale for six or seven years. We have been trying to find a cost-effective way of being able to upgrade our cars’ IT systems faster and we are almost there; I’d say we’re at 85% now.”
Draeger later added in the interview that after BMW’s integration of the new electronics, MINIs would receive the new electronics as well.
If this was 30 years ago, the world would’ve gone mad to learn that the Brits and the Germans would collaborate on electronics. Could you imagine BMW’s with Lucas electronics? We already know what the Brits learned from using their own. But of course, thanks to quality control…for the most part, these are less of an issue.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: WhatCarUK
