There will be a screen, but it won’t be touch-sensitive.
The chip shortage might push BMW to deliver new vehicles this way.
Numerous models might be affected including the 3 Series and X5.
This may seem trivial, but the reality is that this could turn into a serious problem for BMW if they decide to go this way. Touchscreen interfaces have become one of the most important features in modern vehicles. The global chip shortage may push BMW to build vehicles that will not be equipped with this function.
To be clear, the massive screens will still be in place. The “issue” is that accessing the menus will only be possible via BMW’s iDrive controller. While iDrive’s improved massively over its 20-year history, nothing beats the directness of simply tapping a screen to select a function.
Edmunds reports that buyers will be entitled to a $500 credit that will be applied towards the purchase price of the new vehicle. On a $90,000 X5 M, $500 won’t make a dent in the final price.
The affected vehicles, which go into production this week, are the following: 3 Series; 4 Series Coupe and Convertible; new 4 Series Gran Coupe; Z4; and X5, X6, and X7.