For the automotive sector, the previous ten years were spectacular. Leading automakers have developed distinctive innovations and technologies that have improved driving safety, comfort, and enjoyment. The spotlight has recently shifted to electrification and driverless vehicles, yet other innovations have made driving more hip and fun. For example, BMW recently unveiled a color changing concept car. If you are a fashion-conscious driver or someone who follows trends, you’ll love the idea of having a car that changes colors. Consider the countless options. You'll be able to customize your car to suit your mood, in addition to matching it to your clothes.
The German automaker inaugurated the BMW i Vision Dee at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas. And according to BMW, the Dee is short for Digital Emotional Experience because the automaker aspires to forge an “even stronger bond between people and their cars going forward.”
“Following the spectacular debut of the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink at CES 2022, the BMW Group is now unveiling a full-colour version of the E Ink technology in BMW i Vision Dee that will be used as the outer skin of the vehicle for the first time worldwide,” said a BMW press release. “BMW i Vision Dee, rather than simply alternating between black and white, now showcases a multi-coloured, fully variable and individually configurable exterior.”
This Is Why The Traditional Car Painting Process Is Passé
Young digital consumers have higher expectations of brands than their predecessors do. They seek innovative, sustainable, and digitally advanced products. And most of the time, consumers look to brands to tailor their product offerings to their specific requirements. For the automotive sector, this means developing vehicles that respect the singular character of their owners. Until recently, this meant enabling customers to customize the interior and part of the technology. But today's shoppers need more than just the ability to choose between trims and features. They desire genuine personalization. As you might imagine, it is very expensive to customize the car to the preferences of each buyer. Fortunately, BMW has developed a safer and better priced alternative that still allows the customer to personalize their vehicle. The German premium car brand gave customers the option of altering their vehicle's color directly through the use of E Ink technology.
“Dubbed the iX Flow, this electric SUV prototype uses the electrophoretic technology found in E Ink to change its exterior color almost immediately,” says CNET. “The iX has a special wrap that brings different color pigments to the surface via electrical stimulation. The color-changing effect can go from front to back, side to side, in stripes, in blotches and so on. The E Ink wrap allows for this adjustability.”
In short, traditional painting jobs will soon be out of style since young buyers will undoubtedly want to match their car shade to their wardrobe. Additionally, customers will want a vehicle that reflects their personality, way of life, and mood. Therefore, other automakers will likely start using this technology in the near future. According to Stella Clarke, the iX Flow's project manager, the BMW vehicle “becomes an expression of different moods and circumstances in daily life.” However, auto aficionados shouldn't dismiss this technology as a passing fad or trend that won't last long because it offers some very advantageous benefits for the effectiveness of automobiles.
“On hot, sunny days, white cars will stay cooler than black ones because they reflect more sunlight. Similarly, on cold days, dark exterior colors help the car absorb more sunlight, and therefore more heat,” says CNET.
This Is What Makes BMW's Color-Changing Concept Car So Cool
In addition to cars, BMW could likely apply the technology to other products. This will facilitate the German company's shift to a lifestyle brand. Imagine having a phone and a smartwatch that matches the color of your car and expresses your current mood. The best thing is that BMW expanded the color palette. Currently, the ePaper film developed in partnership with E Ink, which gets applied to the body, can display up to 32 colors.
“The body surface of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into 240 E Ink segments, each of which is controlled individually. This allows an almost infinite variety of patterns to be generated and varied within seconds,” says the BMW Group press release.
It is important to note that BMW enthusiasts will still need to wait before they can purchase this color-changing concept car because the German automaker has not yet determined how to handle exposure to elements. Nevertheless, the technology keeps us optimistic about the future. Soon enough, we will live, shop, and interact in a reality similar to the one presented in the Minority Report.
Sources: BMW Group and CNET