BMW moving away from traditional switches, buttons to cater to younger buyers

BMW’s interiors have long been renowned for their intuitive, driver-focused layouts, but the Bavarian auto brand – like myriad others – is moving away from physical switchgear.

Gone from the latest BMW models, such as the Neue Klasse-based iX3 , are physical climate controls. Indeed, inside the new mid-size electric SUV there’s only a tiny cluster of physical switchgear on the centre console and nothing on the dashboard, with most functions controlled via the touchscreen or by voice.

“I think you need to understand why that change is happening, and once you understand that it’s easier to comprehend what will happen in the future as well,” BMW Group Australia CEO Vikram Pawah told CarExpert in response to a question about how the brand’s customers are responding to its new-generation interiors.

“A car is not a standalone piece, it’s part of what’s happening around you in society.

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“We can see that voice and touch are becoming more and more common. Maybe it’s a generational thing as well. You would see that a lot of the younger generation, maybe 45 or below, they’re tapped into these technologies at a faster pace, using voice, using touch.

“They want things done quickly and they’re multitasking. And we have to keep that in mind. That’s how customers are evolving. They are multitasking.”

Mr Pawah noted that the iX3 features a more intelligent voice assistant that can respond to prompts like “Can you move the air away from my face?” and “I want to have a coffee that I had last week”.

The new iX3 is not only the first model to be based on BMW's all-new Neue Klasse platform, but the first production vehicle to use BMW’s new interior design language.

That includes BMW Panoramic iDrive, which incorporates a display that runs along the base of the windscreen in addition to a traditional head-up display and infotainment touchscreen – and in lieu of a more conventional digital instrument cluster.

Traditional column stalks remain in the iX3, while BMW has developed what it calls ‘ShyTech’ controls for the steering wheel. This sees some functions only illuminated once they’re available.

While there are no traditional buttons or dials for adjusting the climate control, there are anchored controls on the infotainment touchscreen.

“The world has evolved and we have to keep up with it. What we have to make sure is what we’re offering is intuitive and simple enough for people to adapt to,” said Mr Pawah.

“Change is never easy, but if the adoption of change is made more palatable and more intuitive, it’s possible to change that.