He played one of the most memorable machines in sci-fi movie history.
Now, the star of the Terminator films, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has appeared on stage to plug BMW’s new AI-inspired car. The actor and former governor of California took to the stage during the German automobile firm’s keynote address at CES 2023 in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
‘Arnie’ was then joined on stage by BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, who introduced the firm’s new colour-changing car, the BMW i Vision Dee.
Video: BMW unveils first futuristic colour-changing car
The electric vehicle sport sedan uses electronic ink to transition between 32 colours, including purple, pink, yellow, white and red. BMW describes BMW i Vision Dee as the ‘next level of human-machine interaction’.
‘Dee’ stands for ‘digital emotional experience’ and underlines the growing ‘importance of the bond’ between humans and machines. However, the vehicle is merely a concept and it will not be put on sale, according to the firm.
‘With the i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge,’ said BMW CEO Oliver Zipse. In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers and also for BMW – the fusion of the virtual experience and genuine driving.’
Schwarzenegger previously partnered with BMW, appearing as the Greek god Zeus in an ad for the BMW iX aired during the Super Bowl last year. ‘I’m so excited to be part of this whole project and part of BMW and promoting this whole thing,’ he said.
Video: Arnold Schwarzenegger takes to stage at CES to introduce new BMW
The new car uses E-ink, which is most well-known from the displays used in e-readers, such as Amazon’s Kindle. The body of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into ‘microcapsules’ – spherical particles with a diameter equivalent to the thickness of a human hair.
These microcapsules contain colour pigments that, depending on the chosen setting, are stimulated by means of an electrical field. This causes certain colour pigments to collect at the surface of each microcapsule, giving the car body the desired shade.
When asked about the purpose of a colour-changing car, BMW told MailOnline that it was ‘a vision of the distant future’. ‘At BMW, we are always trying to push the envelope, which also means exploring all aspects of innovative materials,’ a spokesperson said.
At CES last year, BMW unveiled the iX Flow, which uses E-ink to change from black to white. Now, the firm has expanded this to multi-colour exterior, which is configurable based on the individual’s tastes – although the colour can only be changed when the car is stationary.
BMW i Vision Dee also has a number of other futuristic features that ‘exploit the full potential of digitalisation’.
Inside, the full-surface windscreen display can be used to ‘merge reality with virtual reality’ by becoming a digital dashboard. Drivers can control the display and choose how much digital content they want to see using touch sensors on a panel next to the steering wheel.
The display incorporates graphical elements, light and sound effects so the car and the driver ‘can interact in the simplest forms’. BMW i Vision Dee can also project an image of the driver’s avatar onto the side window, viewable to people outside.
And dimmable windows can also be used to ‘fade out reality’, although this is designed for when the car is not being driven. Inside, the BMW i Vision Dee has been deliberately pared down with digital features replacing analogue features such as dials and buttons, the firm says.
As for why it’s created a car that will not go on sale, BMW says it demonstrates ‘the considerable potential of a technology not previously used in the automotive sector’.
CES is often a showground for technology that will never become available or be able to be mass-produced, although other products hit the market in the next few years.
CES, the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs from January 5-8 and features about 3,100 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 100,000 attendees.
Video: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek in BMW’s new Super Bowl ad
Source: dailymail.co.uk
