How does an automaker stay on top in a market where competitors are quick to imitate good ideas? By getting better, of course. On that front, BMW just pulled the wraps off the 2024 5 Series.
Now, resulting from a collaboration with AirConsole, BMW provides the ability to park and play games on a large screen. In the electric-vehicle versions of the 5 Series, this gives the driver and passengers something to do while the vehicle is charging. The system uses a curved display; the occupants' smartphones are the controllers. It supports more than two phones, so everyone in the vehicle can get in on the action.
AirConsole is an internet-based, smartphone-controlled system that can be played across multiple platforms—for example, Xbox, PC, etc. AirConsole offers titles that include racing, sports, quiz, simulation, strategy, and puzzle games. There’s also a choice of solo or multi-player titles, with 15 games available initially. Rear and front passengers can compete or team-up to play.
Game Development Competition
In addition, the BMW Group and AirConsole launched a competition to develop games tailored to the in-car experience. The competition ended June 8, 2023. The companies wanted to tap into the potential of the global game developer community, while developers are invited to pioneer the field of in-car gaming.
Among the submitted game concepts, the best four will be chosen as winners and will each receive 5,000 euros for the development of a prototype. If the prototype proves promising, AirConsole will fully fund the development of the game to then be included on the AirConsole platform. The winners are also invited to the BMW Group headquarters in Munich to see the result in action.
Antti Makkonen, Director of Games at AirConsole, said, ”Gaming in the car is happening. Game makers need to start creating games for the car use-case, not just bring games to the car. Using phones as controllers inside the car makes playing accessible and fun for everyone, especially when considering that not everybody will own a game controller, or that playing directly on the car touchscreen makes your arm tire quite fast.”
The 5 Series also offers a number of streaming video apps for the control display, including YouTube and (in time) TiVo. Furthermore, a Bundesliga (German soccer league) app and other services will be made available via an over-the-air update by the end of the year.
Lane Changing with Eye Activation
Claimed as another “world first,” BMW has utilized eye-monitoring technology in a way that alleviates the need to activate a turn signal to initiate a proposed hands-free lane change. The driver’s attention is continuously monitored by a camera behind the steering wheel. It observes the head and eye position of the driver to verify attentiveness to the road.
When triggered, the Active Lane Change Assistant in the new BMW 5 Series sedan can be controlled by eye confirmation. The vehicle suggests a lane change, and this can be carried out for the first time by looking in the exterior mirror to confirm the lane change. In some systems offered by competitors, the driver would be required to physically accept the prompt, generally using the turn signal stalk.
Active Lane Change Assist can take commands from the stalk, or the driver can simply look at the side-view mirror. It takes over the necessary steering movements automatically up to a speed of 130 km/h (85 mph), traffic situation permitting.
Also included in BMW’s Parking Assistant Professional feature is the BMW Maneuver Assistant, which can use GPS data and trajectory data defined by steering movements to store and then automatically complete complex parking maneuvers. In total, up to 10 parking maneuvers can be recorded at different locations with a total length of up to 600 meters.
BMW Maneuver Assistant enables parking and maneuvering to be controlled in the vehicle or outside the vehicle via smartphone. When arriving again at the respective starting point, the Maneuver Assistant then takes over the complete driving task, including accelerating, braking, steering, and shifting between forward and reverse gear, following confirmation by the driver. The driver concentrates on monitoring the surroundings during the automated parking maneuver.
The market launch of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan will begin in October 2023. The new models will be offered worldwide with an all-electric drive. An in-house-developed electric motor paired with an 84.3-kWh battery pack makes for 335 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque (or 317 lb-ft when Sport Boost or Launch Control is active) sent to the rear wheels of the i5 eDrive40. Meanwhile, the addition of an extra electric motor up front on the i5 M60 xDrive allows for 590 hp and 586 lb-ft of torque sent to all four wheels.