BMW re-engineers the 7 Series

Innovations on the fourth-generation sedan include iDrive, two Valvetronic V8s, a six-speed automatic transmission, and the Intelligent Integrated Safety Systems.

Automotive market sectors have traditionally been delineated by vehicle size and type (minivan, sports car, sedan, etc.) plus cost. However, a new element is now emerging: technology. At present, it runs parallel with size and cost because new and advanced technology systems are expensive and generally appear first in up-market models, to be cascaded down through the range as economies of scale are achieved.

BMW's 2002 7 Series sedan is among major new designs that point the way toward this trend. A large, luxurious car, it incorporates a high degree of technology, but it uses that technology to make the application of some systems easier to operate and more comfortable for the driver. BMW calls this iDrive, a combination of ergonomics and design improvements. A central aspect of this philosophy is the clustering of all driving functions near the steering wheel, with only basic functions controlled by conventional dashboard switches. Less frequently required comfort and communication aspects are integrated in a “control and display concept” called the Control Center. The aim of all this is to have “more functions and luxury within a simpler, more straightforward structure,” according to the company. Controls and switches on the car's dashboard have been greatly reduced.