A car of a different color.
Thanks to new technology allowing a coating that incorporates E Ink, BMW will soon feature select vehicles with the ability to change their color at whim.
You might remember E Ink from the world of eReaders.
In which case you’re already familiar with the benefits this offers… as well as the obvious limitation: the fact that E Ink only really works on a monochromatic scale between black and white. At least, that’s what you’ll have available for now; the company is working on bringing more colors to the tech. Still being able to change things up or add a racing stripe if you feel like it is a pretty nifty benefit. The feature is called BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink.
As for the interior, the new feature comes paired with My Modes, allowing the driver to tailor the atmosphere inside the vehicle to their preferences.
Digital experiences won’t just be limited to displays in the future. There will be more and more melding of the real and virtual. With the BMW iX Flow, we are bringing the car body to life.
Frank Weber, Board Member Of Management, BMW AG
And he’s correct, at least as far as E Ink is concerned. One of its greatest benefits is that it’s incredibly energy efficient, provided you’re not making constant change requests of it. In this case, the E Ink is contained in a wrap on the body panels of their all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle, making that feature of the technology both appealing and essential.
The BMW iX Flow is an advanced research and design project and a great example of the forward thinking that BMW is known for
Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design
As mentioned, the tech is currently black and white, only. But BMW is exploring options in regards to a range of colors in the future. Not just for aesthetic purposes, but also to deal with environmental conditions, or even functional requirements. They’re planning on new color variants each year, meant to reflect the model’s characteristics.
This gives the driver the freedom to express different facets of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they sit into their car. Similar to fashion or the status ads on social media channels, the vehicle then becomes an expression of different moods and circumstances in daily life.
Stella Clarke, project head for the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink
There’s also the benefit of being able to change from a dark to a light color on the fly when it comes to temperature. On a hot day, white will reflect more heat, aiding in keeping the car and occupants cool. and when it’s cold out, switching to black can help trap just a bit more of the sun’s warmth
Aside from the E Ink features, BMW is also showing off a few interior features.One is a 31-inch television screen that drops down, allowing passengers in the backseat to enjoy the entertainment of their choice. Its size isn’t a worry, either; cameras allow the driver to see what’s behind them in lieu of their rear view mirror.
They also have a digital art mode, designed by Chinese artist Caro Fei. It puts on a crazy light show in your car by lighting up the windows. The artwork is titled “Quantum Garden”, and is described as featuring “galaxies of visual spaces filled with dots, light beams, and nebulae.” It’ll be available on select vehicles in 2022.
Source: Venture Beat
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