Well, it’s fast. BMW introduced the iDrive 8 just a few years ago with the iX electric SUV and already announced the next generation of its infotainment system. At the ongoing CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Bavarians gave a glimpse of iDrive 9, which will run on Android. It’s coming sooner than you might think as the X1 compact crossover will switch to the latest OS in a few months.
According to our friends at BMWBLOG, the first new model to come from the factory with iDrive 9 will be the next generation X2. That doesn’t mean all models will switch to the revamped operating system in the future as some will be updated to iDrive 8.5. Why not switch all cars to iDrive 9? It’s not that simple because vehicles like the latest 7 Series run on Linux-based systems, so the coding is very different.
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However, the user experience will be very similar. The functionality will be similar, but cars running on iDrive 8.5 won’t have the Android app store planned for the iDrive 9. BMW says the first model to sport the iDrive 8.5 will be the upcoming 5 Series which debuts this summer alongside its pure electric i5. . The 7er will also be updated to iDrive 8.5 later this year although the flagship model went on sale months ago.
Let’s not forget, the Munich-based automaker originally announced plans to adopt Android Automotive OS in mid-2022 when it said the operating system would roll out on select models from March 2023. Apart from the X1, another model confirmed to get iDrive 9 is the Series 2 Active Tourer.
In addition, future MINI models will also make the transition, but with a different visual interface to differentiate them from BMW. Details are scarce at this time, though we’re told that iDrive 9 will be “content driven” and with support for 3D navigation and “flexible touch layouts”.
