BMW's new 'Panoramic Vision' will put a full-width display on EV windscreens

For decades, car makers have positioned all of their instrumentation below the steering wheel, resulting in drivers needing to subtly take their eyes off the road to see their speed and associated gas levels. However, with its new 'Panoramic Vision' display, BMW is looking to bring that important data up to eye level. The company has announced a heads-up display that spans the entire width of the windscreen to give drivers and passengers all the information they need without having to take eyes off the road.

As the driver, you can choose what you want to see across the Panoramic Vision display, with options including speed, time, and current song playing. The display uses bright crisp lights to display information clearly against a dark background.

BMW first alluded to a new heads-up display when it announced the i Vision Dee concept at CES 2023 back in January. However, in that iteration, the information appeared digitally right onto the windshield. In contrast, the Panoramic Vision display is a raised lip built-in across the bottom of the windshield.

There's no word yet if any of the other features shown in the i Vision Dee will make their way to production anytime soon. These included interactive communication in which BMW stated, "a natural and emotional relationship between human and machine is developed," and animated facial expressions.

The Panoramic Vision display will begin rolling out in the first NEUE KLASSE (or New Class) models — BMW's range of battery and e-motor vehicles — from 2025. According to BMW, additional features of the BMW iDrive will be included in the NEUE KLASSE. However, we'll likely have to wait until the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich this September to learn more.