BMW Takes Gesture Control A Step Further

BMW AirTouch (Credit: BMW)

Gesture Control on the new BMW 7 Series is pretty cool technology, but the march of progress is pushing things much further. BMW has been working on a revolutionary new control interface that goes even further than Gesture Control, marking a big leap forward in how drivers interact with cars.

BMW will show off AirTouch during CES. The setup involves sensors strategically placed around the front of a vehicle’s interior. Drivers can interact with the infotainment display by making movements in the air using a flat hand. Essentially, the car would have three-dimensional virtual controls. It eliminates the need to touch a screen while driving down the road, which actually can be a pretty tricky maneuver and incredibly distracting.

To use the tech, the driver or front passenger has to place their hand in the space between the display’s screen and the rearview mirror. The idea is that navigating through the different infotainment menus will be quicker and easier than before, so drivers can actually pay attention to driving, which is supposedly the whole point of getting behind the wheel.

From what BMW has revealed so far, it sounds like the driver’s hand operates kind of like a mouse pointer. Once a certain option on the car’s infotainment menu has been highlighted, the driver can make a movement to activate it. Alternately, there’s a push a button mounted to the steering wheel for an easier way to select options. Front passengers can use their own button on the door.

This new technology could make navigating through menus far easier. Instead of having to tap or click different options, drivers and passengers just use certain gestures, but it won’t be until next week that we know what those are, so there’s no telling for sure if the tech will actually simplify things or not.

It’s going to be a few years before AirTouch or anything like it will be ready for a production vehicle. Once the tech has been fully revealed at CES, more details and maybe even a rollout schedule will be available.