BMW has surprised attendees at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with the unveiling of the i Vision Dee, a futuristic sedan concept that aims to provide a Digital Emotional Experience (DEE, hence the name). The study showcases both the design and the technologies to be found in BMW’s future electric sedans including a 3-Series sized model that will be built around the brand’s Neue Klasse electric architecture and may very well end up being called the i3, a moniker that is currently used for the China-market exclusive, electric 3-Series with a stretched wheelbase.
The German car manufacturer’s latest
concept has an exterior that has been pared down to focus attention on the
digital experience that it provides. It adopts a three-box sedan shape and
features a number of characteristic BMW design elements that have been revised,
including the kidney grille, twin circular headlights, and the Hofmeister kink.
BMW fans will no doubt find a variety of retro styling cues ranging from the
iconic 2002 as we can see in the car’s proportions, to 1980s and 1990s models
like the E31 8-Series and even the classic M1 from the late 70s. Perhaps the
least BMW-ish part of the design is the rather simplistic rear-end with
taillights that remind us of Peugeot models.
This simple design philosophy continues
into the cabin of the car where there is an intriguing steering wheel with a
central vertical spoke with touchpoints that can be operated by moving the
thumb. BMW says the cabin has been designed in such a way as to “ensure nothing
distracts from the digital experience and the new feeling of enhanced driving
pleasure.” An innovative new Head-Up Display has debuted on the i Vision Dee.
It projects across the entire width of the windshield and previews a full-width
Head-Up display that will be used by BMW models based on its Neue Klasse
platform from 2025 onwards.
An intriguing ‘Mixed Reality Slider’ is
also present. It uses shy-tech sensors on the instrument panel to allow drivers
to decide how much information they want to see on the Head-Up Display.
Dimmable windows have also been fitted.
BMW has also implemented the latest
iteration of its E Ink technology. First showcased on an iX presented at CES
2022 in black and white, this new version of E Ink is colored and allows for a
fully variable and individually configurable exterior color. It can display up
to 32 colors with the surface of the i Vision Dee divided into 240 distinct
segments.