BMW to Unveil AirTouch 3D Gesture Control System at CES

 
BMW is taking gesture control to the next level.

The German auto maker on Monday announced plans to show off a futuristic new feature — dubbed AirTouch — at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week. The technology lets you control your car's entertainment, navigation, and communication functions "using simple hand gestures made with a flat hand."

"AirTouch allows the display in a vehicle to be operated like a touchscreen without actually having to make contact with the surface," the company explained. "Sensors record the hand movements in the area between the central console and the interior mirror."

The technology will be part of a so-called Vision Car the company plans to present at the show, demonstrating what the interior and user interface of its vehicles might look like in the future.

BMW at CES last year showed off a similar feature, which lets you do things like adjust the volume of your music or accept phone calls using simple gestures like pointing your finger. This technology is already available in the new BMW 7 Series, but the company says AirTouch is a "big leap forward," offering "three-dimensional control."

Once you're done navigating through the menu with hand gestures, AirTouch lets you confirm your desired action using a concealed button on the left side of the steering wheel. Passengers will also have an AirTouch button on the door, so they can also use one hand to navigate the menu and the other to confirm inputs.

The new AirTouch system also promises to reduce the number of steps needed to make a selection. When activating the phone pad, for instance, the system automatically brings up your contacts for easy access, letting you make your call with just one more action.

It also recognizes which selection and control steps you'll need to do next, and displays them on the screen so you don't have to get out your owner's manual.

"This allows the driver to focus all their concentration on the road ahead," BMW said.