BMW will later introduce the IDRIVE X IDRIVE X on the new tenth generation class platform this year. The IX3 SUV will be the first vehicle that receives the improved system, but finally all models of the company, including the internal internal combustion engine vehicles, are on iDrive X.
The latter marks a crucial moment in BMW’s digitization strategy, which has so far led behind that of upstarts such as Tesla, Rivian, Nio and Xiaomi. As a hardware-oriented company, the Bavarian car manufacturer was somewhat late in order to recognize the importance of software-defined vehicles, a fact that was reflected in his tenth ranking in the SDV study by Ward’s Intelligence 2023 (Tesla, Rivian, NIO and management of the list).
Nevertheless, most startups with research and development (F&E) are exposed to restrictions, so that BMW has time to catch up. As we have seen with Tesla, overemphasizing the software could lead to the neglect of quality and reliability. After all, the EV manufacturer received a below-average rating in the 2025 vehicle traffic study (VDS) from JD Power and took third place in his first quality study of 2024 (IQS).
What iDrive X means for BMW
In view of the fact that SDVs ultimately represent an opportunity of $ 650 billion and 90 percent of future car functions are differentiated through software, BMW is essential to achieve the new iDrive law. And for what it is worth, the early demonstrations look promising.
In fact, IDRIVE X with its advanced displays, Amazon provider AI assistants and an improved interface offers a more intuitive and more personalized experience as an iDrive 9. The highlight of the system is the panoramic view of the pillar, which seamlessly integrates into the 3D-head display (HUD) and the multi-fun steering core. In addition, the Android-based software will have more apps than its predecessor (e.g. zoom) and the continued support of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In particular, the Chinese Idrive X will differ from those in western markets. This is because China is a large automotive market on which software is valued higher than hardware. Almost 60 percent of the customers will move brands for better connectivity functions. Therefore, car manufacturers have to offer better digital services and apps there, especially for entertainment.
Go beyond CarPlay and Android Auto?
With iDrive X, BMW also hopes to reduce its dependence on CarPlay/Android Auto in order to achieve better control over the dashboard and the associated commercial options. Remember that the car manufacturer based in Munich always hesitates to take over CarPlay/Android Auto because he wanted to build his own ecosystem for automotive cosystems.
However, almost 80 percent of car buyers will not take into account brands without CarPlay, while the majority of BMW competitors, including Mercedes-Benz and Audi, offer Android Auto. Therefore, BMW has not done what General Motors did – namely to eliminate the two apps as a whole. Instead, it has built up a more holistic platform that contains CarPlay/Android without being exclusively dependent on them.
Ultimately, no car manufacturer can build its infotainment system all by itself, so BMW always has to have a harmonious relationship with Tech giants like Google, Amazon or Apple. The threat of you is very real in view of the monopolistic tendencies of the Silicon Valley. But that is a risk that BMW and other OEMs have to take to satisfy their customers.
Of course, BMW wants to correspond to Tesla and Rivian in an ideal world. Like GM, they also exclude CarPlay/Android Auto, but the two startups have not confronted with the same counter reaction as their customers satisfied with the native infotainment systems. In order to achieve this, the automobile manufacturer based in Munich must further develop its SDV functions, also via Idrive X and the new class platform.
