For Allegra and me, January has turned into an annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas where we annually attend CES cover Sony for our other venture, Sony Reconsidered. This year was no different and while there is no shortage of interesting, if not obnoxious, tech unveilings I could write about, I want to instead focus on a new tradition – visiting the BMW booth and this year’s The Ultimate Driving Experience.
Now, calling what BMW puts on each year a booth is like calling Star Wars a space film – I think there’s a bit more to it than that. And if you’re wondering why BMW comes to CES, it’s because tech isn’t just replacing what’s in our pockets, but also completely changing how we view and use our cars as well.
As the electrification of cars continues to build speed alongside the arrival of connected and smarter houses, BMW has also seen fit to showcase how their fleet of vehicles can play into this evolving world. In years past, the German giant has shown technology like the electric i3 dropping you off at your front door and parking itself in your garage where it’s then wirelessly charged. For those playing at home, BMW will be rolling out this tech later this year for the 5 series.
BMW Connected Mirror Concept
But unlike years past where BMW wanted to convey their vision of the future, this year’s CES was all about today, or perhaps where we’ve been. There wasn’t a single electric i3 or i8 in sight, nor were there any concept smart mirrors that could show you your day’s schedule, weather, and best routes to take to work.
No. Instead, at CES 2018, BMW was about one thing – the joy of putting your foot down, revving a petrol engine, and having your car drift sideways. I could ramble on about this but I think the video below will more than show you what BMW had in store for attendees – The Ultimate Driving Experience.
Meet the BMW M3 and the joy 400HP can bring. As Jeremy Clarkson would often say:
MORE POWER!!!
As always, all photos and video you’ll see by me were shot entirely on iPhone.