If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic without a way to pass the time, were with ya – traffic jams and grid locks can be some of the most annoying situations for drivers and passengers alike, especially during moments that could use a bit of entertainment while waiting.
With that in mind, BMW recently announced that it will be partnering with AirConsole to bring passengers in-car gaming while on the road (and while stationary, of course). AirConsole is a digital gaming platform in the form of an app, which will come with the new BMW 5 series vehicles, with availability for other BMW vehicles to follow. Additionally, BMW also presented a special-edition BNW i5 that features a gaming-inspired look.
Play on-the-go
With the built-in AirConsole gaming app, players will be able to use their smartphone as a controller while viewing their games on the BMW’s curved display. Users can pair their smartphone to the AirConsole app simply by scanning a QR code on the display, which will then allow users to access the games. The AirConsole app also comes with support for multiplayer controls, and even includes “Competition mode,” allowing all vehicle occupants to play together. Of course, there’s always the option of single player gameplay.
One thing to consider though is that AirConsole will provide easy to play casual titles, which are suitable for pick-up-and-play sessions – if you were expecting to play God of War on the highway, then you might need to look at another method for doing so. With that said, BMW’s in-car gaming titles will include sports, quiz, and music games, as well as other titles such as “Go Kart Go”, “Golazo”, “Music Guess” and “Overcooked”. BMW says that more games will be added to the initial 15 titles.
BMW i5 Special Edition
To celebrate the launch of this new partnership, BMW also presented a BMW i5 which features a unique gaming-inspired wrap. The car’s finish draws inspiration from gaming experiences. As per BMW’s official statement:
“The large pixels are clearly recognisable as an homage to the now iconic 8-bit era of computer games. The colour scheme takes its inspiration from the various games available on the AirConsole platform. Elements of video game controllers wrap around the i5 and thus pick up on the unique solution for in-car gaming with AirConsole, where the smartphone becomes the controller and puts all the game-play options at the players’ fingertips.”
As for software availability, AirConsole functionality will come to other BMW models including the BMW 7 Series, BMW iX, BMW i4 (produced after 07/23), BMW X5, BMW X6, BMW X7, BMW XM, BMW X5 M, and BMW X6 M (produced after 08/23). Other BMW models from the mid-range and luxury segments will gradually get the update soon.
