Basemark said it had “contributed significantly to the development of new groundbreaking augmented reality applications” for BMW’s new iX model, claiming the new features “help to increase the driving experience, comfort, and safety to a new level”.
The Finnish company specialising in automotive software, implemented augmented reality (AR) applications for the German automaker.
AR over-video application is the first and is now available in some of the latest BMW models. The work has resulted in claimed “cutting-edge” AR applications for new electric models which use vehicle sensor data and computer vision functionality. These enable AR-enhanced information to be shown on the car’s central information display while navigation is enabled.
Basemark said augmented reality-powered information displays help the driver with vehicle interaction and to be more aware of their surroundings. With AR, upcoming turning manoeuvres and lane recommendations are shown to the driver directly on the display. The front-view camera automatically sends live footage to the curved touchscreen where interactive arrows appear to show the driver exactly where they need to go. The map remains visible thanks to split screen functionality. This means drivers no longer need to interpret the image from the navigation map to the road in front of them.
AR features also help to improve the parking experience in densely packed urban environments. AR can also help to guide the driver towards available parking spaces, inform about parking limitations and rates, and augment the driver’s spatial awareness during parking.
“We collaborated to improve the BMW Group’s asset creation and delivery process, empowering both designers and developers, resulting in reducing time spent on development. The work also included providing support for concept exploration and simulation development of AR concept features,” said Basemark CEO Tero Sarkkinen.
