The BMW X2 introduced the concept of a Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) for the premium compact segment. And now the second generation X2 makes its debut. The 2024 BMW X2 will make its world debut at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo (formerly the Tokyo Motor Show), which will commence on October 26, 2023. The US market launch of the compact SAC will commence in March 2024.
The latest version of the BMW iDrive display and control/operation system featuring QuickSelect is fitted in the new BMW X2, enabling numerous functions to be controlled easily and providing access to innovative digital services. Based on BMW Operating System 9, it is packaged together with the BMW Curved Display and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, meaning it has been carefully geared to operation using the touchscreen and natural language. The control/operation system additionally comprises multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and, as an option, the BMW Head-Up Display.
BMW Operating System 9 was developed in-house by the BMW Group and is based on an Android Open-Source Project (AOSP) software stack for the first time. At the center of the display and control/operation system is the standard BMW Curved Display formed by a 10.25-inch information display and a control display with a screen diagonal of 10.7 inches. The screens merge into a single unit behind a continuous glass surface that curves towards the driver.
Drivers can change between icons with a vertical swipe. The QuickSelect feature allows the function selected to be activated directly without having to enter a submenu. And once the relevant settings have been chosen, a quick tap on the home icon at the lower edge of the control display is all it takes to return to the home screen. Icons for direct access to the climate control menu, All Apps menu and, if activated, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can also now be found next to the home icon.
BMW Digital Premium means customers can enjoy in-car use of all the apps available in their country, e.g., for music streaming, video streaming, news, or gaming, on a subscription basis. The optional package also covers data usage for all digital services and the apps available from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store, including music and video streaming.
A new form of in-car gaming unique in the automotive sector is just one highlight of the BMW Digital Premium offering. BMW is presenting a wide selection of casual games in collaboration with the gaming platform AirConsole. These can be played when the vehicle is stationary.
Audio streaming services can also be used in the new BMW X2 with BMW Digital Premium, and the driver and front passenger are able to view a wide variety of video streaming offerings on the control display while the car is stationary.
The new BMW X2 provides powerful mobile reception for data transmission enabling in-car gaming, streaming and other online services as well as for interference-free phone calls while driving, thanks to the vehicle’s own 5G antenna system combined with the optional Personal eSIM. With up to four 5G mobile antennae available, outstanding voice and data transmission quality is guaranteed.
The My BMW App acts as a universal digital interface that provides information on the vehicle’s status, charging status and remaining range at any time. And it enables remote operation of functions such as vehicle locating, locking or unlocking the doors or monitoring the car’s immediate vicinity. The Remote 3D View and Remote Inside View functions give drivers the ability to call up a three-dimensional live image of their vehicle’s immediate vicinity and its interior on their smartphone.
The My BMW app can additionally be used to send destination addresses from the smartphone to the vehicle’s navigation system and to initiate, purchase or extend ConnectedDrive Upgrades. The My Trips feature including Efficiency Trainer provides the user with data and evaluations on their smartphone for distances travelled, consumption and average speed, and offers helpful tips for driving more efficiently. A total of up to seven users can associate the same vehicle with their My BMW App and an individual BMW ID in each case. The My BMW App is also available for the Apple Watch with a selected range of functions.
With Proactive Care, BMW is creating a new platform for communicating with customers when various types of car servicing are required. The focus here is on the ability to also detect the vehicle’s servicing requirements using artificial intelligence and proactively offer solutions to the customer without them having to act themselves.
Depending on the type of servicing work required, communication takes place via different channels: an in-car notification on the control display, a message in the My BMW App, an e-mail or – in the event of a collision or breakdown – a phone call from Roadside Assistance. The customer can take advantage of various types of service with Proactive Care. This includes remote diagnosis with potential troubleshooting via a software update, as well as online appointment scheduling and a personalized service video complete with online payment (the scope of “Proactive Care” services may vary depending on the country of delivery). In the event of a breakdown, BMW will arrange a Servicemobile unit or tow truck and inform the customer in advance when assistance will arrive.
The Comfort Access option also includes the BMW Digital Key Plus. This enables customers to lock and unlock their BMW X2 with a compatible smartphone running iOS or Android or an Apple Watch by means of security-enhanced ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology – dispensing with the need for a conventional car key. To unlock and lock the vehicle, the user simply has to approach it and move away again, without even needing to take their smartphone out of their pocket.
The BMW Digital Key Plus can be set up using the My BMW App. The car owner can also share it – and therefore access to the vehicle – with up to five other users, regardless of whether their smartphone runs iOS or Android.