BMW surprised attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas by unveiling the i Vision Dee, a futuristic concept sedan designed to deliver a Digital Emotional Experience (DEE, hence the name). The study showcases the design and technology of BMW’s future electric sedans, including the 3 Series models, which will be built around the brand’s Neue Klasse electric architecture and will likely end up being called the i3, a moniker currently exclusive to the Chinese market. Wheelbase Electric 3 Series.
The exterior of the German automaker’s latest concept car has been pared down to focus on the digital experience it offers. It adopts sedan styling and features revised many of BMW’s signature design elements, including a kidney grille, twin round headlights and a Hofmeister kink. BMW fans will no doubt find all sorts of retro styling cues, from the iconic 2002 we see in car proportions, to models from the 1980s and 1990s like the E31 8 Series, and even classics from the late 70s M1. Perhaps the least BMW part of the design is the rather simple rear end with taillights that remind us of Peugeot models.
This simple design philosophy continues inside the car, where there is an interesting steering wheel with a vertical spoke in the center and touch points that can be operated by moving the thumb. BMW says the cabin has been designed to “ensure that nothing distracts from the digital experience and enhances the new sense of driving pleasure.”
The i Vision Dee debuts an innovative head-up display. It projects across the full width of the windshield and previews the full-width head-up display that will be available in BMW models based on its Neue Klasse platform from 2025. An interesting “mixed reality slider” also exists. It uses shy tech sensors on the dashboard to let drivers decide how much information they want to see on the head-up display. Dimmable windows have also been installed.
BMW has also implemented the latest iteration of its e-ink technology. First shown in black and white on the iX at CES 2022, this new version of E Ink is color and allows for fully variable and individually configurable exterior colors. It can display up to 32 colors and the i Vision Dee’s surface is divided into 240 different sections.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing how the car can be seamlessly integrated into your digital life and become your trusted companion,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW Group Head of Design, in a press release. “The vehicle itself becomes your gateway to the digital world—the driver is always in control. When implemented in the right way, technology creates valuable experiences, makes you a better driver, and makes humans and machines more intelligent.” closely linked.”
