BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 25 May 2011 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, BMW, Luxury

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has had one for a few years, and Jaguar-Land Rover recently fitted units to its all-new XJ and updated Range Rover. Now BMW is getting ready to offer its own fully configurable LCD gauge cluster on the next-generation 5 Series and 7 Series models.

Co-developed in Munich and BMW's Technology Office in Mountain View, CA, the new gauge cluster will display the standard dials for speed, revs, fuel and temp, but can be configured to show additional navigation, telematics and infotainment data depending on the driving mode. Comfort and Sport settings will tailor the display to suit conditions, possibly placing the tachometer front-and-center in Sport mode, along with providing shift lights and other more driver-centric information.

A BMW engineer we spoke with made it clear that BMW doesn't want to rely on digital representations of analog gauges. Instead, the automaker is looking at the display as a blank canvas with which it can display a variety of information in an innovative way. However, while consumer customization will be available, BMW believes that keeping the user-tweakability to a minimum is key for ease-of-use and general readability.

Expect the new dash to appear on the refreshed 5 and 7 Series within the next two years.

BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fraunhofer developing 3D dashboard

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Technology

Click above to enlarge

The tried-and-true needle and dial dash has been a staple of the modern automobile, and aside from a brief stint in the '80s when digital gauges were a popular (if not entirely reliable) option, not much has changed in the dash department. Recognizing that another revolution is on the horizon, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute are developing a 3D dashboard to show drivers where the vehicle is in relation to its surroundings.

Best of all, no funny red and blue glasses will be required for the technology to work since it's generated by a slew of cameras that track the position of the driver's eyes. Other tidbits of information can be specified by the pilot, including a fuel gauge, speedometer, tire pressure warning or the title of the song currently playing. Early prototypes are scheduled to be displayed at next month's CeBIT convention.

[Source: Fraunhofer Institute via Engadget]

Fraunhofer developing 3D dashboard originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments