CES 2024: BMW explores AR glasses, generative AI assistants, in-vehicle gaming with controllers, more

It’s not too often that we get a focus on software or infotainment upgrades when it comes to vehicles but it is CES and tech is front and center in every aspect. On the automotive front, we have the luxury automaker BMW showcasing a slew of upgrades and features that enhance comfort, connectivity, and more.

AR Glasses

AR Glasses are more refined than ever and BMW is offering a glimpse into the future with its exploration of these AR glasses, specifically the XREAL Air 2. to take the driving experience to a new level.

The company showcases the practical applications of AR glasses, illustrating real-world scenarios in Las Vegas. These glasses seamlessly integrate navigation, hazard alerts, and information about points of interest into the physical surroundings.

BMW’s extensive exploration of AR/MR (mixed reality) technology materializes in the stable delivery of AR content to passengers, even during dynamic driving situations. As AR/MR devices gain traction, BMW positions itself as a pioneer in seamlessly incorporating these technologies into the automotive landscape.

Generative AI Assistant
A collaborative effort with Amazon, BMW’s next-gen Generative AI Assistant powered by the Alexa Large Language Model (LLM), transforms the in-car interaction landscape.

Unlike conventional voice assistants, the AI will offer a more human-like engagement, providing users with quick instructions and information about vehicle functions in a conversational manner. It’s a significant step forward, showcasing BMW’s dedication to enhancing the user experience through cutting-edge AI technology.

While the demonstration at CES showcases its potential, BMW plans to roll out this advanced voice assistant in vehicles equipped with BMW Operating System 9 over the course of the year. This strategic integration is part of BMW’s ongoing commitment to delivering cutting-edge features to its users.

Remote-Controlled Valet Parking

Aiming to redefine convenience, BMW has joined forces with Valeo to introduce a revolutionary automated parking solution, including the concept of remote-controlled valet parking.

This feature allows users to drop off their vehicles at a designated point, and from there, the car autonomously navigates to find a parking spot, executes the necessary maneuvers, and can return upon request. As of now, this technology is in its development phase, allowing CES visitors to experience its capabilities firsthand.

BMW and Valeo are working diligently on refining this feature, with the eventual goal of integrating it into upcoming models. While a specific release date is not provided, BMW is making strides to bring this innovative parking solution to reality

Video App Upgrade

BMW teams up with XPERI, Inc to develop the TiVo Operating System for in-vehicle video streaming. The upgrade will be available on BMW Operating Systems 8.5 and 9. From live channels to on-demand media libraries covering news, sports, children’s entertainment, movies, and TV series, the enhanced Video App transforms the vehicle into a rolling theater.

Owners of vehicles with BMW Operating System 9 gained access to this feature at the end of 2023, with a gradual expansion to other models in 2024.

ConnectedDrive Store & Gaming

BMW Operating System 9 for 2024 brings an expanded ConnectedDrive Store with third-party apps for music, news, and gaming.

As for the gaming experience, “Beach Buggy Racing 2” is making its debut at CES 2024, providing a glimpse into the future of in-car gaming. It’s the company’s first game that works with full-fledged controllers — a first for BMW. The AirConsole app enables single and multiplayer gaming using smartphones as controllers.

BMW plans to make the controller connection available over-the-air for BMW Operating System 9 throughout 2024. The continued growth of the ConnectedDrive Store is expected, offering users an evolving selection of apps tailored to their preferences.

 

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What the Canon EOS R5 means for videographers

07/10/2020

Canon has just made official its newest full-frame camera — the EOS R5. It is the company’s first full-frame interchangeable-lens camera and with it comes serious specs and features that a lot of videographers could take advantage of.

This isn’t a sponsored post for Canon at all, but as a videographer, it’s pretty exciting to see what this camera offers. Let’s quickly talk about some of these new features and the possibilities they can open for today’s users.

Combination of IBIS and lenses with OIS

The EOS R5 has a 5-axis in-body image stabilizer (IBIS). In theory, using this together with the company’s RF lenses with their own optical image stabilization (OIS) built-in should look similar to using a dedicated stabilizer. Simple glides from left to right or walking should have minimal jerks.

During shoots, this means you wouldn’t always need to mount the camera on a gimbal which takes time and effort balancing.

According to Canon, this is done by using a new algorithm to be able to process gyro signal data and achieve higher image stabilization effects. This should also result to achieving optimized stabilization across the entire zoom range, from wide-angle to telephoto, depending on the lens in use.

Variety of shooting formats

From Full HD HDR video, 4K timelapse, and up to 8K 30fps, the EOS R5 offers a wide range of shooting modes and formats. It is even capable of shooting 120fps in 4K which is a really impressive and sought-after feature by videographers today. With this specific shooting format, you can easily achieve slow motion of action or wildlife shots in 4K glory — think of the possibilities!

And for its 8K resolution, it captures 12-bit RAW video which you can easily crop in case you need to scale up your clips and still produce sharp 4K content.

Dual card slots for continuous shooting

With its compact size, it’s still able to pack two card slots. One supports a more traditional SD card while the other is made for faster CFexpress cards. The CFexpress slot is capable of high-speed transfer which allows the camera to continuously shoot 8K RAW videos without the need for any additional recording equipment.

If you don’t need to shoot 8K videos, then you have more space for Full HD or even 4K recording and you wouldn’t need to change cards in-between shoots.

10-bit recording means easier and more flexible color correction

When talking about versatility in shooting, the higher the bit depth, the better control you have in post-production. And with the EOS R5’s capability to shoot in 10-bit across all video formats gives you a lot more data to work with. It can also record in 4:2:2 color sampling which, again, contributes to producing better images.

So basically, shooting at 10-bit 4:2:2 will make it easy to produce cinematic shots for films or short videos. Plus, together with its 45-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, you really get high-quality footage every time.

Better autofocus capabilities

Finally, Canon has been known for its fast and accurate autofocus, and for the EOS R5, their system just got upgraded. Its Enhanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF promises a more reliable autofocus performance.

Additionally, its AF coverage can cover the entire sensor so focusing is available on any part of the frame. For comparison, the new EOS R5 has 7 times more AF points than the previous EOS R.

While other cameras have limited AF depending on what format you’re shooting, the EOS R5 has its AF system active whatever file format or resolution you’re on. So shoot away!

Final thoughts

Again, these are just based on features presented upon the EOS R5’s launch. On paper, its specs and capabilities simply unlock new possibilities for videographers. Of course, we still need to try it ourselves to be able to properly give a verdict on the camera.

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