BMW and said goodbye to the IDRIVE button and the motion control

Farewell to the IDRIVE button: BMW turns to touch and audio control

After a long time, BMW removes the famous IDRIVE rotation button from its entertainment and entertainment system. The button, first introduced in the Series 2 in year 2, became one of the prominent features of the company’s cars, and many drivers recognized it as a symbol of BMW’s quality and innovation. But over time and the taste of users, the company has decided to take a new approach to designing its information and entertainment systems.

The main reason for this decision was the increasing tendency of drivers to use touch controls and disregard the IDRIVE button. With the expansion of the use of smartphones and tablets, users are increasingly familiar with touchpads and expect their cars to benefit from the technology. BMW surveys and data show that drivers prefer to interact with their car’s information and entertainment system by touching the screen or voice commands and use less of the IDRIVE button.

The newer versions of IDrive (8, 4.3 and 2) have also gradually changed their user interface to easier use of touch. These changes include the design of simpler menus, larger icons, and the ability to use touch movements such as pulling and hitting. As a result, the use of the IDRIVE button for many users has become an additional and even annoying thing. Removing this button helps BMW design its software for only one type of control (touch and audio). This will make the interface easier, reduce the complexity of coding, and thus increase the speed and stability of the system. In addition, removing the IDRIVE button will also save on production costs and weight loss.

In addition to the IDrive button, the Gesture Controls have also been removed from the new BMW information and entertainment system. This type of control, which depends on hand movements for some functions such as sound adjustment or radio station change, has been abandoned due to low use. Many users saw this type of control as unnecessary and even confusing and preferred to use more traditional methods such as touching the screen or using buttons on the steering wheel.

While some BMW fans will miss the IDRIVE button and see it as part of the brand’s identity, this change reflects the company’s move towards new technologies and respond to users’ needs. By removing the IDRIVE button and motion controls, BMW has shown that it is ready to improve its information and entertainment systems by changing users’ tastes and technology development and making the driving experience more enjoyable and easier for its customers.