BMW’s new head-up display spans the windshield

BMW’s next-generation electric vehicles will feature a head-up display that spans the windshield.

Dubbed BMW Panoramic Vision, the lavish display was unveiled on Wednesday during the automaker’s annual business conference. It is planned to go into production with the Neue Klasse (German for “new class”) family of electric vehicles, which will be launched in 2025.

An industry first, BMW says, the Panoramic Vision Display allows both the driver and front passenger to see information, unlike current head-up displays that only show information in the driver’s field of vision. In a press release, the automaker presented this as part of a “driver-centric” approach, as it allows information not relevant to the driver to be displayed to the passenger instead, while allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

BMW Panoramic Vision head-up display

Photos show speed and gear information in front of the driver, entertainment information in the center of the windshield and time on the passenger side. More information will almost certainly be available in the system.

“We are taking our proven slogan ‘Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel’ to a new level,” said BMW development chief Frank Weber in a statement.

The Panorama Vision Display also features a dark-coated area at the bottom edge of the windshield for higher contrast, producing sharper images that remain viewable in varying lighting conditions, according to BMW.

The Neue Klasse EVs are named after a 1960s model family that effectively saved BMW and set the template for the next few decades of automaker development. While the original Neue Klasse models are remembered for sleek design and great handling, BMW has hinted that this generation will also focus on digital technology, as evidenced by the i Vision Dee concept unveiled at CES 2023 in Las Vegas.

BMW i Vision Dee concept

Unlike current BMW EVs, which are largely based on architectures shared with internal combustion engine models, the Neue Klasse EVs will be based on a new platform designed from the ground up for electric powertrains. They will also showcase BMW’s sixth generation motor and battery technology, including new cylindrical battery cells (as opposed to the current prismatic cells) which along with other improvements are expected to result in a 30% range improvement over BMW’s current technology.

The first model of the New Class will be a sedan in the 3-series segment, followed by an SUV. This first model will be built from 2025 at a plant under construction in Debrecen, Hungary. New-class EVs will also be built at an existing plant in Munich, Germany, beginning in 2026, and in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, in North America, in 2027. The latter move is likely aimed at getting EVs to embrace the to qualify for tax credits under new US federal rules.