BMW is rapidly moving away from physical buttons and dials in its cabins, with the new iX3 representing one of the brand’s most significant steps toward touch- and voice-based controls. BMW Group Australia CEO Vikram Pawah told CarExpert that the change reflects how people increasingly interact with technology in everyday life.
The iX3 Removes Most Physical Controls
The Neue Klasse-based iX3 features a nearly bare dashboard, with only a small group of switches remaining on the center console. Climate controls have disappeared as physical buttons and are now operated through the touchscreen or by voice.
Pawah said BMW is not simply following a design trend. Instead, he pointed to drivers roughly under 45 who increasingly rely on touch and voice controls in other areas of their lives and expect similar technology in their vehicles.
The iX3’s voice assistant can respond to highly specific requests, including redirecting airflow away from a driver’s face or reordering a coffee that was purchased the previous week.
BMW Introduces a New Dashboard Design
The iX3 introduces BMW’s next-generation interior, centered around “BMW Panoramic iDrive.” The system combines a display strip positioned along the base of the windscreen with a head-up display and the main touchscreen.
There is no longer a traditional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. However, some physical controls remain, including the steering-column stalks.
BMW has also introduced “ShyTech” controls on the steering wheel. The buttons remain dark and hidden until they are needed, at which point they illuminate.
The touchscreen climate controls also have fixed, anchored positions rather than being buried within menus. Pawah compared the reaction to the current changes with the response BMW faced when it introduced iDrive in 2001.
“Change is never easy,” he said, “but if the adoption of change is made more palatable and more intuitive, it’s possible.”
Tesla Helped Popularize Button-Free Interiors
Tesla has played a major role in normalizing vehicles with fewer physical controls. Most functions in a Tesla are operated through the screen or voice system, and the company briefly removed conventional indicator stalks in favor of steering-wheel buttons.
Tesla’s popularity in China has also helped spread the minimalist interior approach. Chinese-market and Chinese-built vehicles, including the Mazda 6e and Lexus ES, have adopted similar designs.
The iX3 is also connected to the Chinese market through a stretched, long-wheelbase version developed specifically for China. BMW had to restore conventional door handles on that variant after new Chinese rules restricted flush door handles.
China’s New Rules Could Change the Approach
China’s regulators are now preparing to impose requirements that could limit the minimalist approach that has helped inspire the trend. A new national standard expected to take effect on July 1, 2027, will require 19 essential functions, including gear selection, wipers, lights and indicators, to have physical controls.
The controls will also have to meet requirements covering their fixed locations, minimum size and tactile or audible feedback.
For BMW, the current setup may already be close to meeting those requirements because the iX3’s approach is less extreme than Tesla’s. The new regulations could therefore leave BMW’s latest interior design relatively well positioned for the upcoming standards.
