BMW has announced that it will debut the so-called HoloActive Touch system at CES 2017. Described by its creator as “an innovative operating concept for the interior of the future,” it is the latest version of the company’s concept automotive dashboard interface. Located next to the steering wheel at the same height as the center console, the system presents a full color display along with a free-floating “virtual touchscreen.” The touchscreen “confirms the commands with what the driver perceives as tactile feedback.” The new system is part of BMW’s i Inside Future study and is illustrated in the figure below.
One way in which the BMW HoloActive Touch system is different from other automotive Heads Up Display systems is the use of reflections to create the illusion of a display floating in space. In addition, the image is within the vehicle rather than on the windshield or out in front of the vehicle. With this approach, the image could, in principle, span the driver’s field of view and provide a more immersive way to access information about the status of the car’s functions and situation.
The HoloActive system uses a camera to detect when the driver’s fingertips are within an ergonomically user friendly volume and interacting with the virtual control surface. As soon as the user’s fingertip makes contact with one of the “pads,” both a sound and a physical sensation are produced followed by the activation of the relevant function.
Speculation is that the technology used to make the in-air touch interface feel physical might be sourced from Ultrahaptics (Bristol, England).
Ultrahaptics technology is based on the manipulation of modulated ultrasound produced by an array of ultrasonic transducers. The modulation is implemented by the use of proprietary algorithms and serve to control both the position of the projection and nature of the desired sensation. By this means, it is possible to provide the sensation of physical touch and the control of virtual objects such as buttons, sliders and dials.
A video illustrating the HoloActive Touch system can be found at the end of this article.
The HoloActive Touch system can flexibly configure control pads which can be assigned to various functions such as those related to the music system, climate control and navigation. In addition, the HoloActive Touch will work in collaboration with services that are part of BMW’s Connected cloud architecture.
Even with tactile feedback, interacting with an in-air display screen while driving a car seems problematical. Still, the system is still in a concept stage and it may evolve in such a way as to provide real utility. -Arthur Berman
