Tired of watching movies on your phone in the vehicle? Well, BMW may have the solution, as it unveiled its 'theater display' at CES XNUMX, which brings a huge flip-down widescreen to its cars.
The BMW Cinema Screen is a 31-inch ultra-wide screen mounted on the roof of a car. Developed just for the enjoyment of rear passengers and spanning the entire width of the cabin, it folds when needed and folds flat when done. It's the biggest screen ever for those in the back of a car.
It features 8K (16 x 21) resolution and can display content in a variety of aspect ratios including 32:XNUMX, XNUMX:XNUMX and XNUMX:XNUMX, the latter developed to give you a cinematic experience.
Amazon Fire TV is integrated, giving viewers access to a wide range of streaming services. And with XNUMX GB of local storage, you can pre-download movies and TV shows to watch on the go. Fire TV integration works just like a Fire TV device in your home.
However, the movie screen can also benefit from the vehicle's 5G connectivity, meaning that in strong signal areas you'll be able to stream live content (and get updates for Fire TV integration) while on the go. .
Your 'private movie theater'
The screen is touch-sensitive, but there are also touch-sensitive controls on each of the rear doors, giving passengers a choice of how they want to interact with the screen.
There's also support for 2-wire or wireless headphones, letting rear passengers enjoy what's on the screen, without bothering the driver.
If you're parked and don't feel like using headphones, the package also includes a Bowers & Wilkins 4D Diamond surround sound system.
However, it's not just the screen that gives you that cinematic experience, as BMW's 'My Mode Theatre' setting will adjust the lights and shades to give you a 'private theater'.
It is safe?
As expected, a screen that spans the width of the car and folds down from the roof will block the driver's view through the rear window.
While BMW could add a digital rearview mirror, that's not something it's considering right now. As far as BMW is concerned, the cinema screen will not be used at all times, and when it is used, the rear visibility is no different from that of a trailer or a caravan.
During a press conference attended by TechRadar, a BMW spokesman pointed out that the driver can still use the exterior mirrors and blind spot indicators. In addition to this, there is going to be a rear camera for reversing.
In addition, the driver can also monitor the movie screen and fold it up on the roof if required.
The implementation of the cinema screen that BMW shows at CES XNUMX is only a prototype, which means that it is not yet available for users, but we are told that it is very close to a production version.
We shouldn't have to wait too long to start seeing Theater Screen as an option on certain BMW models.