Cockpit, BMW 7 Series (E65)Photos
- Cockpit, BMW 7 Series (E65)
Centre display, BMW 7 Series (E65)
Centre display, BMW 7 Series (E65)
Controls, BMW 7 Series (E65)
Controls, BMW 7 Series (E65)
Photo credits
Photo credits (5)
- BMW 7 Series (E65), photo 1Cockpit · “BMW 7 Series Individual - fourth generation BMW 7 Series, E65/E66 (06/2015).” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (E65), photo 2Centre display · “25 years of BMW 12-cylinder engines - BMW 760Li (E66). (10/2012)” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (E65), photo 3Centre display · “BMW E65 iDrive CBS” (opens in a new tab) · Photo: Hugo venter · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab) · Wikimedia Commons
- BMW 7 Series (E65), photo 4Controls · “BMW E65 LCI Centre Stack” (opens in a new tab) · Photo: Hugo venter · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab) · Wikimedia Commons
- BMW 7 Series (E65), photo 5Controls · “BMW E65 iDrive Controller Update” (opens in a new tab) · Photo: Hugo venter · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab) · Wikimedia Commons
Elements
Lineage
BMW 7 Series generations
Previous and next
Compare with the E38Photo credits
Photo credits (7)
- BMW 7 Series (E23)Instrument cluster · “BMW 745iA Cockpit” (opens in a new tab) · Photo: Freud · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab) · Wikimedia Commons
- BMW 7 Series (E32)Cockpit · “BMW 750iL cockpit - second generation BMW 7 Series, E32 (06/2015).” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (E38)Cockpit · “25 years of BMW 12-cylinder engines - BMW 750iL (E38). (10/2012)” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (E65)Cockpit · “BMW 7 Series Individual - fourth generation BMW 7 Series, E65/E66 (06/2015).” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (F01)Cockpit · “The new BMW 7 Series: Interior (05/2012)” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (G11/G12)Cockpit · “The new BMW 7 Series - Interior (06/2015).” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
- BMW 7 Series (G70)Cockpit · “The display and operating system along with the digital user experience in the new BMW 7 Series.” (opens in a new tab) · © BMW AG · Editorial use (opens in a new tab) · BMW Group Newsroom
Details
Summary
The launch car for iDrive, which moved most of the 7 Series' comfort and communication functions onto one controller and a central Control Display.
Specifications
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Speedometer and rev counter needles sweep over a heated liquid-crystal display that shows on-board computer data, check control in text and graphics, and navigation information.
Centre display
Control Display of 640 x 240 pixels in the centre of the dashboard; the controller sits in front of the centre armrest.
Controls
Three levels: driving functions (gears, wipers, electric parking brake) around the steering wheel; frequent functions such as lights, cabin temperature, radio volume and rear-window heating on conventional switches; everything else through the controller. The gear selector is a steering-column stalk, with a start/stop button.
Facts
- iDrive cut the number of dashboard buttons sharply, and the E65 was the first BMW with voice control for selected functions.[2][1]
- iDrive was BMW's answer to roughly 700 possible control functions. The cabin is split into a Driving Area for the driver and a Comfort Area in the middle of the dashboard, shared with the passenger.[3]
- Besides turning and pressing, the controller slides in eight directions to reach main menus arranged like compass points. A DC motor inside creates the detents felt when turning it.[4]
- The separate fuel and coolant temperature gauges were dropped; their information moved into the on-board computer and check control displays.[5]
- Early iDrive was criticised for complicated menus and a steep learning curve. BMW added Menu and customisable buttons below the controller in 2003, and the March 2005 facelift simplified the interface.[1]