7 Series (G11) [Official] BMW 7 Series (G11/12)

[hoffmeister_fan]

Well it's tech in it's infancy. More, cooler stuff and maybe more useful stuff might follow.

It's like the amuse bouche, what follows is the appetizer and main course.

In a quest to reduce buttons and pack more functionalites into lesser number of interface types, this is an approach that's being studied. I guarantee that other automakers have been developing and will soon be implementing some sort of gesture control system into their new cars. With time, I am sure it'll get better in its accuracy. I think this approach will be more prominent in autonomous driving cars.

 

[Metanoid Android]

Are there going to be any more hybrid models? As far as I'm aware, at the moment there is only one: the 740e xDrive with a 2 litre petrol engine. I was wondering if any more were coming with larger engines, especially in the wake of the recent VW scandal and its potential wider repercussions on the industry. I'm pretty sure Mercedes offer at least two hybrids, possibly three in the executive and luxury classes. I would love to see straight six and V8 hybrid sevens. Also, is it likely we'll see an extreme power but electrically biased eDrive model as foreshadowed by the relatively recent 5 (GT, I think) concept?

 

[SCOTT27]

Yes they will come after the 5er.

 

[klier]

Also, is it likely we'll see an extreme power but electrically biased eDrive model as foreshadowed by the relatively recent 5 (GT, I think) concept?

Yup, Power eDrive.

 

[klier]

It's like the amuse bouche, what follows is the appetizer and main course.

In a quest to reduce buttons and pack more functionalites into lesser number of interface types, this is an approach that's being studied. I guarantee that other automakers have been developing and will soon be implementing some sort of gesture control system into their new cars. With time, I am sure it'll get better in its accuracy. I think this approach will be more prominent in autonomous driving cars.

The gesture to turn off the central display already is useful imo. You can't have a button on the steering wheel for everything. Sound for gesture is silly when there's two rather prominent dedicated buttons already, but more will happen. In a couple of years there will be tiny cameras everywhere in the car to monitor all kinds of movement and behavior, like fatigue and eye tracking/movement

 

[silkeye]

next step "mind-controlled-cars" ?

 

[Metanoid Android]

Thanks Klier and Scott27. That's promising news. I keep hearing rumours of breakthroughs in the next generation of batteries. I imagine BMW is embracing this and is working with potential partners with developing them.
I heard VW was on the verge of announcing a battery breakthrough before everything spectacularly imploded on them. My dad suggested (cynically) that the scandal could actually be a very clever (albeit risky) marketing strategy and that once the smoke blows over, confident of their battery supremacy they'd announce to the world they've cracked it (patented it, of course) and would "kindly" offer their battery to the world (at a price). Stranger things have happened.

 

[deity]

It's like the amuse bouche, what follows is the appetizer and main course.

In a quest to reduce buttons and pack more functionalites into lesser number of interface types, this is an approach that's being studied. I guarantee that other automakers have been developing and will soon be implementing some sort of gesture control system into their new cars. With time, I am sure it'll get better in its accuracy. I think this approach will be more prominent in autonomous driving cars.

I don't understand the point of gesture control. If the whole point of gesture control is to make the interaction between the driver and infotainment safer, I don't see the effectiveness of it.

What does gesture control provide that voice control can't do better?

 

[ThroughandThrough]

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[Rolf]

I don't understand the point of gesture control. If the whole point of gesture control is to make the interaction between the driver and infotainment safer, I don't see the effectiveness of it.

What does gesture control provide that voice control can't do better?

I agree with you voice control and also using controls on the steering wheel will be a better solution. The next step of steering wheels will have scroll control pads on each spoke and slide and tap as per central wheel control, combined with select and back buttons. With gesture control you have to keep one hand in the air and at a certain height to gauge the proximity sensors, if its too low maybe it wont work and a person looses concentration on the road trying to figure out the height of the hand is correct.

 

[silkeye]

haha, im just curious when the first people on the street or the opposing drivers will understand your gesture wrong
when you wipe the phone-call away and accidently slap your front-seat passenger

 

[Rolf]

haha, im just curious when the first people on the street or the opposing drivers will understand your gesture wrong
when you wipe the phone-call away and accidently slap your front-seat passenger

LOL what will happen if they introduce gesture control for the passenger as well the driver and passenger will be turning each others noses and nipples to get the volume up or down!!

 

[deity]

I agree with you voice control and also using controls on the steering wheel will be a better solution. The next step of steering wheels will have scroll control pads on each spoke and slide and tap as per central wheel control, combined with select and back buttons. With gesture control you have to keep one hand in the air and at a certain height to gauge the proximity sensors, if its too low maybe it wont work and a person looses concentration on the road trying to figure out the height of the hand is correct.

I would argue that gesture control is worse than tactile control. It is unlikely that gesture control is as sensitive as tactile control, making it even more difficult and confusing than the traditional method. With existing buttons on the steering wheel that control volume, I don't see how it could be safer/more efficient to have your hand mid-air (off the steering wheel) as you fumble around with the volume.

I appreciate the 7er for all its other tech, but gesture control is clearly a marketing thing. Of course, the tech is still in its infancy but I would much rather have the R&D money in making voice control superb.

 

[le_rosey]

A friend has just received his 750li with pretty much all possible options and M pack. Amazing vehicle.. Next delivery of the new 7 is only at the end of November, this guy ordered it without even seeing the pictures.

 

[Yaz]

The whole gesture control thingy might look dumb now, but this is just the start. I can imagine BMW using the whole windshield as a screen for future iDrive. Plus, we won't need to have our hands on the steering wheel once it's on autopilot.

 

[SCOTT27]

View attachment 352231

 

[Rainer271]

^The rims of the left 7 are looking really good. How is their label? I could find a pic in the official catalogue but without description.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Rainer271]

The whole gesture control thingy might look dumb now, but this is just the start. I can imagine BMW using the whole windshield as a screen for future iDrive. Plus, we won't need to have our hands on the steering wheel once it's on autopilot.

I'm absolute with you, Yaz. At this time we can contend about the sense of the less functions of the gesture control when we have the combination of a fantastic i-drive, multi functions steering wheel and voice control.
But I'm sure BMW knows what they are doing and I'm looking anxious into the future.

 

[DblPen]

The whole gesture control thingy might look dumb now, but this is just the start. I can imagine BMW using the whole windshield as a screen for future iDrive. Plus, we won't need to have our hands on the steering wheel once it's on autopilot.

first iDrive was stupid as well

 

[lukeswiss]

Taking your hand off the steering wheel to do gestures that are available on the steering wheel ? I dunno, seems a bit gimmicky.