THE FIRST-EVER BMW iX3 IS COMING.
Catch a glimpse of the first-ever BMW iX3 Sports Activity Vehicle, which is being launched in September 2020.
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As the new digital frontier continues to elevate the BMW driving experience, Joo-Hyung Maing from BMW Product Management Digital Services sheds a light on the development and purpose of some of the game-changing innovations already available in the new BMW iX3 Premier Edition.
At Joo-Hyung's workplace, digital technologies and services originate as a simple idea – offline. Their task lies in simplicity, or rather simplification. "The services, driver assistance systems and mobile devices should interact with each other so that our digital life can seamlessly be integrated into the vehicle. Networking relieves the burden on the road user in everyday life and thereby provides more comfort,” says Joo-Hyung. After all, every customer today operates in his or her own digital ecosystem, using devices like smartphones, smart watches, laptops or smart home devices.
"When we’re designing the interface, like we did in the new BMW iX3, we strongly lean on existing digital ecosystems during development. This means that the driver is already familiar with the menu navigation and functionality from their environment outside the car – so they can reach their destination feeling more relaxed,” says Joo-Hyung.
The exciting thing for Joo-Hyung and his team is to transform former hurdles into new possibilities. “To charge an electric vehicle like the BMW iX3, you obviously have to allow for time. That's one difference to filling up the tank – for now. But not a disadvantage. On the contrary: We want to make this waiting time as pleasant and useful as possible for the driver. That's why every BMW passenger can have the car display restaurants, cafés, shopping centres, shops, a spa or a cinema near charging stations – so-called Points of Interest, or POI for short,” says Joo-Hyung. “...the driver is also shown the user ratings of each individual spot when making their selection. ... Passengers also have the option of creating favorites.”
With BMW’s range of electrified vehicles, there’s a particular focus on the range of the battery. “With the help of a range indicator on the navigation map, the driver always has an eye on the battery status on the display, so to speak” says Joo-Hyung. It appears on the display in the BMW iX3. “From their current position, the customer gets a visual indication of how far they can still drive with the remaining range. As soon as the driver enters a destination that would no longer be reachable with the remaining range, they receive a visual notification. This notification suggests relevant charging stations along the driver's route."
"If there is only a certain amount of time available to charge the vehicle, the driver can use the search for high-power-charging stations. This configuration only shows charging stations near the planned route that will charge the vehicle sufficiently and remarkably faster to reach the chosen destination. This way, the driver can ensure that they reach their destination comfortably and quickly despite the stopover,” says Joo-Hyung.
“Time will become a status symbol,” says Joo-Hyung Maing. With the help of connectivity and autonomous driving, the experience on the road and the integration of passengers will become more important.
Above all, digital services will make it easier to handle situations while driving. "Imagine sitting at the wheel of the BMW iX3, I'm on the road in the city, perhaps one I’m unfamiliar with, and I get hungry. Instead of searching on a smartphone, I tell the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant: “Hey BMW, I want pizza!” Then the digital co-driver will ask which one of the destinations to choose. To which we’ll reply: “The best rated.”
Looking even further into the future, Joo-Hyung Maing comments: “Another trend alongside electrification and mobility services is emotional individualization. When I open the car door in the morning via smartphone and get in, my car greets me with my name and tells me what appointments are on the schedule for today.” But even the present is already electrifying: “We will be able to stage the journey not only more innovatively, but also in a more personal way – with acoustics, for example.” Joo-Hyung doesn't want to reveal anything more than that at this point, but he is really looking forward to the first ride with the iX3.
