CES 2020: BMW's AR windshield concept uses your body language to understand what you want

BMW

Perhaps it's already in its name, but BMW believes we would like to expand how we interact with our vehicles. The carmaker believes it doesn't just have to be through conversation, but through our body language, gaze, and gestures as well. So, BMW showed off the i Interaction EASE at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The concept windshield for self-driving cars also analyzes the rider's nonverbal signals.

Similar to what the company unveiled last year, the concept shows a windshield overlaid with a transparent display. Through augmented reality, the windscreen can show contextual information about nearby objects. The car's eye-tracking sensors will follow your gaze and show you more information about what's captured your attention. The i Interaction EASE will need you to gesture to interact with the item further.

BMW

The windshield comes with three different modes: Explore, Entertain, and Ease. As the names suggest, Explore shows you data on the local area so that you can find out more information about the restaurants, cinemas, or other establishments nearby. Entertain would play a movie through the windshield and dim the cabin to make it easier to watch. Ease puts the car into "zero gravity," where the seats are reclined by around 60 degrees, the windshield will be darkened, and the surfaces of the vehicle will turn opaque to make you feel like you are "almost floating."

5G connectivity is needed to power the i Interaction EASE, and BMW says the 2021 iNext will be the first of its vehicles to support the standard. Some form of this concept windshield will also be available in the iNext.

Source: Engadget + BMW