[RahulNagaraj]

BMW seems to be the latest carmaker that has been affected by the global chip shortage. According to a media report, the chip shortage has forced the German brand to remove the touchscreen functionality on its centrally-mounted infotainment unit.



The removal of the touchscreen functionality has been made in order to allow BMW to maintain its current production levels. The feature deletion will affect a number of models in the brand's line-up. This includes the brand's 3 Series, 4 Series, X5, X6, X7 and Z4 models.

Without the touchscreen functionality, the iDrive technology on the affected BMW models can be controlled exclusively via the physical controller on the centre console.



BMW models without the touchscreen functionality will be arriving at dealerships soon. Reports stated that customers who take delivery of their cars without the feature will be given a $500 credit by BMW.

Source: Bimmerfest

Link to Team-BHP news

[Turbohead]

Damn happy!

This will ensure the second hand prices of these machines will be low in the market and if you're like me who don't give a damn about touchscreens, this is brilliant.

As for the new customer, $500 credit unless usable for service and labour is a deal breaker.

[shobhit.shri]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

Reports stated that customers who take delivery of their cars without the feature will be given a $500 credit by BMW.

Pretty sure that if it were an optional accessory, BMW must have been charging 5000$ for it!

[karthikg87]

Originally Posted by shobhit.shri

Pretty sure that if it were an optional accessory, BMW must have been charging 5000$ for it!

My thoughts exactly!

Instead of fobbing off customers with 500$ credit they should provide an option to swap it with a touch screen at a later point free of cost.

[ohaak]

I think this is a great move and I hope more car manufacturers would make cars with traditional console instead of delaying deliveries due to chip shortage. Whatever happened to cars with amazing mechanicals and minimal electronics?

[WorkingGuru]

This should be done across the auto-industry. Haptic feedback from a physical button builds into our muscle memory & helps us keep eyes on the road rather than on the screen.

Originally Posted by karthikg87

My thoughts exactly!

Instead of fobbing off customers with 500$ credit they should provide an option to swap it with a touch screen at a later point free of cost.

More viable if they gave $1000 worth service coupon. That way they can keep away the uncertainty of disposing a used music system, as well as retain they money with just a reasonable service offer which costs them way less instead.

[mobike008]

Everyone is badly hit by the global chip shortage and surprised that even prominent car makers like BMW isn't able to cope with this issue.

When I took the delivery of X3 earlier this year, they silently delivered my car without even highlighting that the center console (Near gear selector) it was supposed to be carbon fiber (I had ordered this variant) and when I approached them they took my car in for a couple of weeks and still couldn't get the part in time. It remains to be seen if I will ever get that trim for my car for the center console part.

In this this case of removing the touchscreen for ID, it's terrible and loses a major functionality of this beautiful, responsive and intuitive entertainment system. $500 credit back to customers is way less for the overall loss in functionality.

Like someone mentioned, this will no way effect the resale value of the BMW (especially in this scenario where the prices for preowned is almost equal to the prices folks are buying in first place).

However, it's not mentioned this exclusion is for which markets?

[malim]

Originally Posted by ohaak

Whatever happened to cars with amazing mechanicals and minimal electronics?

Kinda feels like BMW marketing missed a trick here. Maybe they could have made a virtue of necessity and pitched this to purists with a "focus on what matters" message.

[Nucliomaniac]

Good Riddance!

As a veteran BMW Owner, I hate touchscreens

I Dont know why they exist, especially in the better cars.

In simple cheap cars, fine.

Why in better cars?

[PearlJam]

While losing touchscreens is a small issue, I'm more worried about what else is being lost in other internal/major areas, that we may never be aware of.

And this applies to all manufacturers, not just BMW. While it looks like supply of important mechanical components haven't been affected, how do we know if compromises have been made in critical electronic components due to the chip shortage? More discussions in the chip shortage thread.

[anandavinash]

Originally Posted by ohaak

Whatever happened to cars with amazing mechanicals and minimal electronics?

+100 to this! I am not a fan of touch screen laptops or car infotainment systems. For me, the more understated the design of the car and interiors, the more I like it. the only thing I would put some importance to (mainly because of my interest and love for music) is the stereo system.

[nikhilarni]

The whole experience of the iDrive v7 is the touch screen. I cannot imagine this system without the Touch functionality. Esp with Apple Car Play / Android Auto which is specifically built for the Touch Experience, more like an extension of the cell phone itself.

I saw this post on Bimmerfest and then out of curiosity, tried operating my Blauer Pfeil ( that's what I call my 2021 M340i ) with only the knob. Terrible experience.

Feel sad and sorry for the folks paying premium for these cars and getting left out on such a basic functionality.

I had a touch screen on my 2016 Honda Accord as well.

[84.monsoon]

A better way for them to overcome this may be to offer a free future swap to a touchscreen when it becomes available. Considering the price point of these cars that would be a negligible cost to BMW and also keep customers happy that they did not.miss out on something so fundamental to Apple Car Play.