Mini, the BMW-owned British automaker, is providing more information on the Mini interaction unit (MIU), its circular OLED central dashboard display. While the key focus is on the circular OLED display that marks the brand’s entry into the digital age it’s worth looking at the new Mini OS 9, experience modes, and the intelligent personal assistant that are being showcased as part of the brand’s technology package. A new circular display is getting a new navigation system, connected store, and remote software upgrades for continuous improvements.
The Mini OS 9 is built on an Android open source software stack, optimized for touch and voice control. The system’s start menu allows access to personalized content, while the tool belt stores frequently used functions for quick access. The experience modes combine light, user interface designs, drive settings, and sound. Personal mode stands out for its high level of personalization, enabling users to use their own pictures as backgrounds for the display unit. The car also boasts distinctive soundscapes, including driving sounds in the interior, Mini brand sounds recognizable from outside the car, and jingles for the experience modes.
The intelligent personal assistant, activated by the voice command “Hey Mini,” offers natural language interaction with graphical elements and an avatar. Users can control various functions, make travel-related requests, and engage in chit-chat with the assistant, according to BMW. The navigation system looks pretty cool in a circular format, and provides the usual route calculation based on real-time traffic data and forecasting models. For all-electric Mini models, it calculates charging-optimized routes, too. The store offers access to various apps, including in-car gaming with AirConsole, music and video streaming services like Spotify, and other evolving apps based on region.
All-in-all, BMW have designed a digital display for the Mini dashboard that has become an iconic part of an iconic brand. It is an interesting approach and we will see if consumers find it as engaging as it claims to be. The Mini has a distinctive appeal and many owners of the car have a personal attachment to their drives so, this might be a very clever way for BMW to enhance that attachment to the brand. It looks like a personalized driving experience that is in keeping with the feel and sentiment that users may have for the brand.
