BMW will showcase augmented reality glasses at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2024, which will be held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 9 to 12. The company will also present innovative development projects centered on the digital experiences of future BMW vehicles, including the new BMW Operating System 9, generative AI, and remote parking.
Frank Weber, a member of the BMW Group Board and Head of Development, stated, “BMW is synonymous with the ultimate driving machine and the ultimate digital experience. At this CES, BMW will showcase more content, enhanced customization options, and more games based on our powerful in-house developed BMW Operating System.” He added, “We will also present a blueprint for the future that enhances the interaction between people and machines through perfectly integrated augmented reality and robust, reliable AI functionalities.”
First, the BMW Group will unveil wearable augmented reality (AR) glasses at CES 2024. These glasses, developed in collaboration with tech startup XREAL, aim to enhance the driving experience. Various information, such as navigation, hazard warnings, entertainment content, charging station information, and parking assistance visualizations, will be seamlessly integrated into the real environment through augmented reality.
Since 2008, the BMW Group has been working on the development of AR and MR technologies. The augmented reality view feature currently equipped in BMW and MINI models displays augmented real-time video on the navigation system, providing additional information to optimize guidance for drivers.
Additionally, the BMW Group will introduce BMW Operating System 9, which offers a new infotainment experience.
Vehicles equipped with BMW Operating System 9 will have access to various third-party apps across categories such as music, news, and games, in addition to on-demand vehicle functions. This means that more games will be available for passengers to enjoy in the car and that they will soon be able to use a separate controller to play games inside the vehicle.
Alongside this, the BMW Group will showcase a remote parking feature developed in collaboration with Valeo. Using this feature, drivers can simply leave their vehicle at a designated drop-off zone, and the vehicle will autonomously search for an available parking space and park itself. It will also be able to move to the pickup area, allowing the driver to retrieve the vehicle. This solution is based on autonomous driving systems and remote valet parking systems.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the remote parking feature of the BMW iX firsthand. Remote operation ensures perfect control even in unfamiliar or complex parking environments where fully autonomous driving systems struggle, making it suitable for future use in event venues, airports, and logistics sectors.
The BMW Group and Amazon will unveil the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, powered by Amazon’s Alexa large language model-based generative AI.
For a long time, the BMW Group has utilized AI for the voice processing of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. Since the introduction of the first BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant in 2018, language interaction has become an essential part of the BMW driving experience. BMW customers can currently control various vehicle functions through the voice assistant, allowing them to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.
With the help of Amazon’s ‘Alexa Custom Assistant’ solution, the next-generation BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will be further strengthened and is scheduled to be introduced in vehicles equipped with BMW Operating System 9 later this year.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr