If BMW had to choose an image to illustrate what “less is more” means, it would probably be the iX3’s cabin. Ever since iDrive 8 debuted with the iX four years ago, the company has been stripping back dashboards by gradually removing physical controls. The second-generation iX3 goes a step further by eliminating the rotary knob. The dial was already an endangered species, having been dropped from BMW’s latest compact cars.
The 17.9-inch touchscreen has enabled BMW to consolidate access to most functions into the supersized infotainment. The intent is to “make the user interface innovative and configurable, that’s the point,” according to Falk Schubert. But in an interview with CarExpert, the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) engineer for the 2026 iX3 acknowledged that shifting too many buttons into a screen generates safety concerns.
“We see that the longer you take to press a button, the more your eyes are off the road, and the more dangerous things become. You have to balance it out and learn over time. The more buttons you reduce, and the more you put them into a screen, the easier you can reprogram these things. There needs to be consensus at some point. But yeah, it’s a hot discussion right now, so let’s see how things evolve over time.”
While some people within BMW are pushing for an even greater reduction, not everyone agrees. The iX3 still has a handful of physical buttons and retains its steering-wheel stalks. However, the separate climate controls are gone, meaning drivers must rely on the touchscreen. Even simple adjustments, such as directing airflow, are now handled through the display.
Schubert acknowledges there’s a “conflict” about how far the reduction in traditional controls should go before it becomes a safety hazard. Even if BMW revisits the user interface in the future, the 40 new or updated models arriving by the end of 2027 will share much of the iX3’s interior layout. iDrive X is set to spread across the entire lineup. It’ll be found in vehicles as large as the next-generation X7 and as small as the rumored i1.
Notable exceptions include the Z4 and 8 Series, both of which are bowing out without replacements. The iX also won’t transition to iDrive X since a second generation isn’t planned. The 2 Series Active Tourer is unlikely to adopt BMW’s latest infotainment tech either. The 4 Series has reportedly had its life cycle extended to mid-2029. Together with the 2 Series, these models will likely be the last BMWs to use the old layout.
Source: CarExpert
