BMW Hypes up CES 2020 with Urban Suite Concept, EASE Technology

BMW Group brings forth a marvelous showing at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020, with its first electric vehicle, the i3, at the forefront.

Since the hatchback’s launch in 2013, the i3 has played as BMW’s ambassador to the electric driving pleasure, intelligent connectivity, and sustainability that the brand is capable of delivering. Now, BMW ushers in the i3 Urban Suite to showcase its visionary approach to the future of mobility that’s tailored entirely to the passenger’s unique needs.

The BMW i3 Urban Suite “represents a logical step forward in the BMW Group’s commitment to sustainable mobility,” according to the German carmaker, which further describes the vehicle as “underpinned by a holistic approach to making responsible use of resources, encompassing the powertrain with zero local emissions.”

To achieve this, BMW transformed a standard i3 to give the interior the relaxed feel of a boutique hotel. Updates include the introduction of a large, comfy seat with footrest, a flipdown screen installed on the headliner, and the Harman-Kardon developed Individual Sound Zone (ISZ) that integrates the personal audio needs of each passenger while managing the sonic harmony of the overall vehicle cabin.

Only the driver’s seat and dashboard are left untouched with the i3’s mobility transformation.

Fabrics used for the i3 update contains recycled materials. Certified wood and olive-tanned leather were also used for the rest of the trims, while the floor mats are made from recyclable materials that can be fed back into the materials cycle, as per circular economy principles.

All these measures required careful planning from the BMW folks to ensure the Urban Suite i3 is maximized for sustainability.

For its CES 2020 appearance, BMW prepared a fleet of standard BMW i3 cars converted into Urban Suites. The conversions were done in Munich, after which the vehicles were then shipped to Las Vegas where they are now on display at the city’s streets.

“Anyone wishing to be chauffeur-driven to their desired destination can use a special app to order one of the BMW i3 Urban Suites,” BMW said.

The car will offer its passenger a first-hand experience of the BMW Group’s innovative and sustainable mobility concept, while clearly demonstrating that luxury travel in the future will have nothing to do with vehicle size.

The Germans are also unveiling the new ‘i Interaction EASE system’ at the event. The concept car that houses this new system has been intentionally given an avant garde exterior design, as BMW wants focus to be on what happens inside, not the outside.

Designed in collaboration with Designworks, a global creative consultancy owned by BMW, the ‘i Interaction EASE system’ seeks to show what the future might look like when cars drive themselves to a destination. With the new system, BMW introduces new ways for passengers to interact with the vehicle and its onboard technology. Alongside speech recognition with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant and a new type of gesture control, a new gaze detection system follows the eyes and memorizes driver’s reaction so it can react correspondingly in the future.

The BMW i3 Urban Suite is just one of the highlights of the BMW Group stand at CES 2020 in Las Vegas. Comprehensive information on all elements of the vehicle are available at the show, which runs from January 7 to 10.

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