Interview with Stephan Durach, SVP Infotainment & Digital Products, BMW
“The new iDrive system epitomizes the concept of a software-defined vehicle”
BMW Panoramic iDrive – A New Chapter in Human-Machine Interaction: Durach’s presentation topic at this year’s AEK.
BMW Group
At AEK 2025, Stephan Durach presented BMW’s Panoramic iDrive. In this interview, he explains how shy-tech controls, head-up projection, and a customizable interface redefine human-machine interaction in the software-defined cockpit.
Stephan Durach, SVP Infotainment
& Digital Products at BMW Group, is the driving force behind the brand’s
digital transformation. As a speaker at the Automobil Elektronik Kongress,
he presented the company’s latest milestone: BMW Panoramic iDrive. In this
interview, he outlines how BMW’s new display and interaction concept combines
head-up projection, haptic steering controls, and AI-based personalization to
enhance safety, user experience, and the role of the car as a software-defined,
data-driven ecosystem.
ADT: What innovations does the BMW Panoramic iDrive introduce
in human-machine interaction?
Durach: The BMW Panoramic iDrive introduces
groundbreaking advancements in human-machine interaction, revolutionizing the
driving experience with cutting-edge display and control technologies that
prioritize driver comfort and safety. By reshaping BMW's approach to driver
orientation and leveraging it into the future, these elements collectively
focus on driver-centric features that emphasize intuitive, user-friendly, and
ergonomically optimized operation. This approach aligns seamlessly with BMW's
longstanding philosophy of "hands on the wheel, eyes on the road,"
ensuring that drivers remain engaged and focused, while interacting
effortlessly with the vehicle's advanced systems. The BMW Panoramic Vision, a
newly developed Head-Up Display concept, projects content across the lower
section of the windshield, providing visibility to all occupants and creating a
3D effect. It is accompanied by the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display right above
the Panoramic Vision, which integrates navigation and automated driving
information directly into the driver’s field of vision, coordinating neatly
with the Panoramic Vision. The central display, equipped with matrix backlight
technology, allows for touch operation, enabling easy and convenient
interaction thanks to its ergonomically ideal position very close to the
steering wheel.
Does it enable
user customization?
Yes, users can
customize widgets and transfer them to the Panoramic Vision, enhancing their
personalized experience. And not only that – the entire
digital experience can be personalized thanks to the BMW ID which saves all
personal settings for the driver, which can be linked to his personal physical
or digital key. Completing these innovations is the multifunction steering
wheel, which utilizes BMW’s shy-tech approach, with illuminateding buttons only
if a function is available, that also provide haptic feedback, ensuring ease of
use without diverting the driver’s gaze from the road.
How does the new iDrive system
integrate with BMW's overall digital strategy?
BMW's new iDrive
system seamlessly integrates with the company's ambitious digital strategy,
showcasing its commitment to future-proof technology and personalized driving
experiences through intelligent software and user-centric design. It epitomizes
the concept of a software-defined vehicle, demonstrating the potential to blend
physical and digital experiences while enhancing personalization options and
integrating third-party apps. At the core of this integration in
the infotainment domain is the BMW Operating System X, an in-house development
based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which offers extensive update
and upgrade capabilities to ensure long-term adaptability. Additionally, the
system features the enhanced BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, now equipped
which will be enhanced with Large Language Models (LLM) technology to
facilitate more natural language commands conversational interactions, focusing
initially on navigation. This integration underscores BMW's dedication
to maintaining industry leadership in multimodal interaction and digital
functionality.
What feedback have you received from
users regarding the Panoramic iDrive experience?
The Panoramic iDrive will launch with the first
production car of our next vehicle generation “Neue Klasse”, the BMW iX3, at
the end of this year. During the development process, BMW we received extensive
user feedback that demonstrated strong approval for the Panoramic iDrive.
Customers praised its intuitivity operation and personalization options ed
features, reflecting BMW's which confirmed our data-driven, user-centered
approach to developing our next-generation user interface and operating concept
enhancing the driving experience. This
feedback is grounded in comprehensive studies conducted in BMW Group’s
Usability Labs, where around 3,000 customers participated in structured
evaluations. These studies ensured that decisions regarding the operating logic
were aligned with user preferences and requirements. Additionally, BMW we leveraged insights from a
vast network of over 23 million connected BMW vehicles worldwide, using this
data to inform the development and personalization of the Panoramic iDrive system.
About Stephan Durach:
As Senior Vice President Infotainment & Digital Products at BMW
Group, Stephan Durach is responsible for all aspects of the digital customer
experience, including infotainment, technologies, digital products and
human-machine interaction. He aims to enhance the driving experience with
personalized, seamless and sustainable solutions based on innovative platforms
and data-driven services.
Durach completed his electrical engineering studies at the Technical
University of Karlsruhe in 1997 and began his career at BMW AG in Munich in the
following year. Prior to his current position, he held various leadership
roles in electronics and digital technology procurement, driving strategic
partnerships and shaping the digital transformation of the supply chain. He was
also the head of the BMW Technology Office in Silicon Valley.
