BMW is removing touchscreen functionality from some new cars due to chip shortage

[Shawn Knight]

Bottom line: BMW is removing touchscreen functionality from the infotainment systems on some of its vehicles due to the ongoing chip shortage. The impacted models will still have an infotainment system, but it’ll have to be navigated using the iDrive controller located on the center console.

News of the change first broke on BMW enthusiast forum Bimmerfest. According to the original poster, the following models will be impacted:

• G20 3 Series
• G22 / G23 4 Series Coupes and Convertibles
• G26 4 Series Gran Coupe (excluding i4)
• G29 Z4
• G05 / G06 / G07 (all variants)

The poster said affected models will carry the option code 6UY “Deletion of Touchscreen,” and that buyers will have to sign a form acknowledging the missing feature. A $500 credit will also be applied to all vehicles that come without touchscreen functionality.

BMW confirmed the news as accurate to Edmunds, further telling the publication that the measure was the result of industry-wide supply chain issues that are affecting automakers worldwide and causing limitations on the availability of some features or options.

Would this be a deal breaker for you? Personally, I dislike touchscreens as I’m averse to fingerprints and smudges and am perfectly happy with controlling stuff using buttons or dials. Then again, dropping serious money on a brand new BMW only for it not to work as it was designed would be painful, and I don’t think a $500 credit would help me sleep any better at night.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/92106-bmw-removing-touchscreen-functionality-new-cars-due-chip.html

 

[Vulcanproject]

I must be the only one who likes the modern iDrive systems used with the centre console wheel. I don't want greasy fingerprints all over the screen. Easier to rest an arm on the centre console and move through menus than lean forward and stab at this screen. I like the tactility of the wheel and you get muscle memory after a few weeks to use it without even taking your eyes off the road.

The credit is also fine, gives a good starting haggling position.

 

[yRaz]

I HATE touch screens in cars. It allows car makers to be lazy. Everything is hidden in menus. Seriously, I'm in the market for a new car and I won't even consider a vehicle without dedicated radio controls and climate control knobs. You should be able to change these things without taking your eyes off the road, touch screens make vehicles less safe on top of being annoying.

 

[Dimitriid]

I must be the only one who likes the modern iDrive systems used with the centre console wheel. I don't want greasy fingerprints all over the screen. Easier to rest an arm on the centre console and move through menus than lean forward and stab at this screen. I like the tactility of the wheel and you get muscle memory after a few weeks to use it without even taking your eyes off the road.

The credit is also fine, gives a good starting haggling position.

There really is no need beyond vanity to make everything inside a car touch screen computers: dials and controls served people fine for decades and the car industry decided they'd rather lose billions than god forbid, sell a car that has no touch screen tablets it's kind of ridiculous.

Push comes the shove most people that can afford a car probably have a cellphone and/or a tablet if they really must have touch screen controls inside their cars.

 

[MarkHughes]

If the result of the chip shortage is more tactile controls in cars that can only be good for everyone.

 

[brucek]

It has to be a touchscreen for me, because that's what iOS CarPlay was designed around and that's where my apps and data are. Not interested in having to manage an additional set in every vehicle because my car maker is trying to scrounge an extra few bucks from it.

edit: and agree with the other posters here that controls related to actual car systems should be standalone knobs, switches, etc.

 

[Irata]

I HATE touch screens in cars. It allows car makers to be lazy. Everything is hidden in menus. Seriously, I'm in the market for a new car and I won't even consider a vehicle without dedicated radio controls and climate control knobs. You should be able to change these things without taking your eyes off the road, touch screens make vehicles less safe on top of being annoying.

Plus, if basic functionality is controlled via touch screens it will be fun for the new owners when they stop working. Probably very expensive to replace if you can get the part at all.

Same as products where you need an app to control it.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

The answer is NO.

Just wait to buy when things return to normal.

 

[RudyBob]

Car's should not have entertainment centers.

 

[yRaz]

Car's should not have entertainment centers.

I describe it like this, cars are not phones with wheels

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Car's should not have entertainment centers.

Absolutely wrong. There's nothing more satisfying than having a car where your passenger and rear seat passengers can watch videos (over 5G) on a long road trip.

 

[Uncle Al]

Personally, I prefer a car without all that garbage ... it simply isn't necessary in getting from point A to point B ......

 

[Arbie]

Both of my TWO BMWs have touchscreens which I connected in SLI so I can play MS Flight Simulator at 480 fps. Just FYI.

 

[p51d007]

I wish they would BAN touch screens! Buttons & knobs are EASIER to feel for when you are driving. A touch screen, you have to look at the screen to touch it in the correct place. With slides, buttons & knobs, you can feel your way around.

 

[RudyBob]

Absolutely wrong. There's nothing more satisfying than having a car where your passenger and rear seat passengers can watch videos (over 5G) on a long road trip.

Yep as long as the driver isn't playing roadside bingo I have no problems

 

[hahahanoobs]

I must be the only one who likes the modern iDrive systems used with the centre console wheel. I don't want greasy fingerprints all over the screen. Easier to rest an arm on the centre console and move through menus than lean forward and stab at this screen. I like the tactility of the wheel and you get muscle memory after a few weeks to use it without even taking your eyes off the road.

The credit is also fine, gives a good starting haggling position.

I'm on the same page about the fingerprints, but screens are faster and customizable. For basic functions a dial is okay, but as cars come with more and more features, scrolling isn't enough to do everything.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Yep as long as the driver isn't playing roadside bingo I have no problems

Hilarious...
If it was actually a believable scenario.
Luckily for us they thought about that long before you ever did, and is the reason why such features are disabled when car is in anything but Park!

 

[ZedRM]

This move by BMW is a GOOD thing. It will make cars safer by removing the touchscreen distraction from the drivers attention focus. Every auto maker needs to follow this move.

 

[Trapped Nowhere]

All that access and many on the road still can't figure out the turn signal lol

 

[Neatfeatguy]

There is no feed back from using a touchscreen. You cannot tell what you are touching without looking.

Muscle memory gets built up when you're using a radio dial with multiple knobs - you'll know exactly what knob changes the station due to it's location and texture of the knob. You'll know what button/knob adjusts the volume, you'll know what button/knob changes your audio format to another device (CD/blue tooth/etc).

A touch screen doesn't provide any of that feedback that allows you to learn, memorize and use without looking. You have to constantly shift your eyes to the touchscreen to see exactly what options you're picking and where you finger is so you can make sure you're making the correct changes.

I hate touch screen aspects of my 2016 CX-5. About 75% of the use of the screen requires some kind of attention for taking my eyes off the road. Most actions can be handled by the giant knob on the center console, but it controls everything (except for volume, there's a tiny knob just to the right) and you have to constantly look at the screen to see what you're doing if you need to adjust anything that's simply not changing a radio station (which you can use the buttons on the steering wheel and also adjust the volume), you're eyes are not on the road.

I miss the days of reaching over to the radio/CD player and knowing what knob, just by touch adjusted the station and volume and changed between CD or radio. I didn't have to look over after a couple of days of use because it became instinctive due to muscle memory build up.

 

[VitalyT]

Not much of a beamer anymore, just a bummer.

 

[trparky]

I've always said that I don't want the dashboard of my car to look like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Modern cars have too much tech in it and far too many crutches in them too to coddle the inattentive driver. Back in my day you actually had to pay attention while you were driving, you didn't have all that fancy crap like lane assist, blind spot detection, etc. Oh yes, you actually had to pay attention and use your mirrors. Oh, what a concept!

 

[nismo91]

I must be the exception here. I love touchscreen as long as it is paired with a couple of buttons on the steering wheel (volume, next track, pause, back, home) and the climate control buttons remain physical. the reason is because typing addresses not in english is mostly infuriating with knobs or gestures. speech recognition? good luck getting that to work for difficult address names.

with touch screen I can easily ask the passenger to type the full or correct address using qwerty softkeys. in this day and age I guess everybody could use softkeys rather than using knobs, wheels or touchpad. what's more I'm using aftermarket android unit so I can use gboard and customize the keyboard layout and size. to hell with idrive!

 

[RudyBob]

Hilarious...
If it was actually a believable scenario.
Luckily for us they thought about that long before you ever did, and is the reason why such features are disabled when car is in anything but Park!

I hacked mine. Only gets the 24 hr Boob Channel

 

[seeprime]

I wonder what happens when you can't get an otherwise simple part fixed in ten years because no one makes that chip anyone. I've been excited about new car tech for a while. Now I feel quite the opposite.