BMW used the Consumer Electronic Show to introduce a revolutionary concept car the Bavarian company has dubbed the i Vision "Dee." Why would an automaker choose CES for such a task? Well, that's because this new vehicle is about as technologically advanced as, well, the KITT car of the 1980s. Those Gen X car enthusiasts who watched David Hasselhoff's Knight Rider in the '80s well remember the talking car that utilized AI to talk and interact with the Hoff's character, Micheal Knight. BMW has made the dream car of many Knight Rider fans a reality. And to boot, the concept is an automotive chameleon that can change colors.
BMW Introduces "Dee" - Part KITT, Part Terminator
The full name of BMW's latest innovation is the i Vision Dee concept car. As Oliver Zipse spoke, the white, four-door sedan was rolled onto the stage to the delight of attendees. Zipse allowed for demonstrations of the sedan's capabilities, including its E-Ink Technology. This particular trait allows for the exterior of the car to be configured into one of 32 colors - all at the whim of the driver. Zipse added that the Dee concept car is the first example of BMW's Neue Klasse, or next generation, platform which the company plans to launch in 2025. The first offerings will be an "activity vehicle" as well as a sedan.
Zipse also launched a video featuring everyone's favorite Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold touted something all car enthusiasts can understand - a driver's relationship with their car - particularly in the 1980s. Dee - which is an acronym for Digital Emotional Experience - verbally interacted with Arnold. Dee extolled the value of a driver's relationship with one's car, and claimed that this is the wave of the future. Dee told Schwarzenegger that the "cars of the future" will eventually be "the ultimate companions." Dee, utilizing E-Ink, will be able to make "facial expressions" utilizing the headlamps and the grille. There will be a heads-up display that spans the length of the windshield.
The E-Ink feature utilizes 240 color panels, which results in the ability to select a new exterior color at will. The E-Ink panels have been laser-cut, and they are attached to both the body and the wheels of the car via ePaper film. Drivers may choose a singular exterior color, or they may opt for a pattern of multiple colors at once.
Dee Will Provide Emotional Interaction with Drivers
All the while Zipse spoke, Dee interjected and interacted, serving to present itself as possessing "a soul." The presentation tied Dee to the Terminator films by utilizing a quote from the movie indicating that machines - and therefore cars such as Dee - can "learn the value of human life." Zipse added that Dee will interact with human drivers by not only speaking but utilizing facial expressions as well.
Zipse said he is excited about the machine-human interaction that Dee will provide, adding that vehicles such as Dee can no longer be regarded as "science fiction." Dee will fall into the category of a software-defined vehicle, and personalization is the key characteristic of the sedan. Dee offers functions like that of a virtual assistant, and the interface will work with the heads-up display to assist the driver with a rather large display area. BMW hints that Dee will not only provide a connection emotionally between car and driver, but the car will also evince emotions of its own. So, will Dee possibly tell you it doesn't care to hit the freeway or take a trip? Not likely, but the possibilities of driving a car that can interact with us sounds quite intriguing.