BMW announced Android-powered iDrive 9 car infotainment system at CES 2023

BMW has given a preview of its upcoming iDrive 9 car infotainment system, which will be powered by Android, at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. The system will be included in the next generation of the X2 compact crossover, set to be released in the next few months.

Other models, such as the X1, will also receive the updated operating system, while the 5 Series and 2 Series Active Tourer have been confirmed to get the iDrive 8.5 version. However, certain vehicles like the latest 7 Series will continue to run on a Linux-based system due to different coding.

The user experience on both systems is expected to be similar, with similar functionalities and support for 3D navigation and flexible touch layouts, though the iDrive 8.5 will not have the Android app store planned for the iDrive 9.

In the future, MINI models will also receive the transition to iDrive, but with a unique visual interface. BMW originally announced its plans to adopt the Android Automotive OS in mid-2022 and stated that it would be rolled out on select models starting in March 2023.

Source: BMW Blog