BMW Shows Off its Snazzy New Digital Instrument Display

BMW has given us an early preview of its user interface for its new digital instrument cluster and in-car display.  The gauge cluster, part of BMW’s new Operating System 7.0., is designed to seamlessly integrate with the large center display in order to appear as though there is one single, large display. We imagine this will end up looking similar to Mercedes-Benz dual-screen display that appears in the E-Class and S-Class.

The display has a number of settings that will change when the car is in different drive modes. There’s a regular gauge cluster for everyday driving, an Eco cluster that puts fuel economy information front and center and a Sport cluster that shows relevant engine and chassis settings and a g-meter.

BMW promises the center display touchscreen will be massively improved as well, thanks to better touchscreen operation and 10 configurable menu pages. It will also boast a simplified menu structure – a welcome improvement for any BMW driver who has had to look for vehicle settings buried beneath seemingly endless layers of menus.

We’re expecting Operating System 7.0 and the latest iteration of BMW iDrive to appear on some of the company’s high-end products before trickling through its model range. Based on the presence of a sport display, we think the BMW 8-Series will be the first vehicle to get this technology, and the BMW X7 may follow suit.

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