I recognize that when they knew that BMW would be present at CES 2024, I had some doubts. Not because of the brand itself, but because we’ve already seen some excess in the race to add new technology to the motoring world. As an example and without going further, I will stay with the AFEELA, a prototype presented by Honda and Sony just a few days ago, which, among other surprising technological innovations, can be controlled with DualSense (the official PlayStation 5 controller) and shows dinosaurs using augmented reality, something much needed and demanded by ordinary drivers…

I hope I am not misunderstood, I believe that consumer electronics technology They can contribute a lot to the motoring world. From infotainment features to driving assistance systems, there are many advancements aimed at making driving safer and more fun, including for passengers, in this case thanks to safety systems, multi-entertainment screens.

So, as I said, when an engine manufacturer, whoever it is, announces its presence at an event like CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin, etc., I wonder if it’s a proof of concept (since they always go with prototypes, logically not with models already ready for market) will be right or wrong. AND if we include any of the trendy technologies in the equationAs with augmented reality and artificial intelligence these days, the mistrust meter goes up a few points. But this time BMW seems to have done it very well.

I base this on a test done by Techradar which at CES 2024 tested a prototype BMW augmented reality ride. A model that uses a visor for the driver, as opposed to the one proposed by AFEELA, which uses a dashboard screen, and instead of showing dinosaurs (seriously, who the hell thought up such nonsense?), shows that the driver is, always visual information directly related to driving, such as route tracking elements determined by the navigator.

Although the test was conducted in an all-electric BMW iX M60, BMW has confirmed this He has no plans at the moment manufacturers who are going to bring this augmented reality system to some of their vehicles. However, taking into account the first reactions that the system has seen (quite positive), it makes sense to think and hope that in the medium term we will see more progress in this regard and that at some point something based on this solution will finally materialize.

But for that It is essential that security systems are absolutely reliable. Driving with a visor that, if it stops working, can blind you behind the wheel is a risk that regulators will not take lightly. However, as I said, this is nothing more than a prototype that points in the right direction and therefore can give us something to expect from the future. And although, as I’ve said on more than one occasion, I’m more of an Audi fan than a BMW fan, this development feels like a huge success.