This is an experimental demo of a BMW car configurator using the new Microsoft Surface technology. Even if you are not someone that keeps up to date with the tech world, if you watch CSI: Miami you probably have already seen it in action.
Real life usage can be found in AT&T stores. It’s essentially a system running Windows Vista which uses 5 cameras to record infrared light from human fingertips on the “surface”, as well as specially tagged objects.
The BMW car configurator is appropriately called the BMW Konfigurator, and although it is currently still in prototype form we may see it a regular feature in BMW showrooms soon. Basically you have a 30 inch touch screen display on a table which you are able to interact with to configure your BMW car.
For example, you can change colours of the exterior and interior, change the wheel design, and add other accessories. At the end of your selections the system will quote you a price. You can also view photos and videos on the car.
You can look after the jump for a video I recorded of the BMW Konfigurator being used to configure the latest F01 BMW 7-Series.
Video: BMW Konfigurator for the F01 BMW 7-Series
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
I am first here…Always like the way BMW markets to her customers. Of cos target on premium market…I am not yet there.
haha, wait till paultan configures his f01 7 series using the new system
its a neat system btw
Can i configure my dream girl using this…
COOL!
as for dream girl, you can change her hair, face, body, boobs, down there, hair colour. then can zoom in on “there” lol. tengok tengok, tak suka, saya refund! lol.
csv said,
October 16, 2008 @ 12:35 am
0.0|||
oh boy, is the demonstrator suck or what. she really has no passion in demonstrating, lan lek, no wonder the system doesnt even wan to obey her instructions. how embarrassing. big boo for her.
if it is indeed vista…only a matter of time b4 blue screen of death hacks te bmw to death…sigh..hv to reformat my laptop again..
wanabeb….hehe…. fantastic man!!!!
i think its one of the convinient style of marketing in which it wud make us easier to choose our own accessories according to our taste….
I wish that’s my computer! But then again will stick to my Mac, and my 23″ screen hahAHAHAHAHAHA…. <—- attempt at evil laughter.
apple has been using this multitouch technology for quite some time already.. example is iPhone, the new macbook & macbook pro..
To “amad_a”
The so called “multitouch” is actually a pretty old technology – touchscreen panel has been around for many years already.
Surface computing, on the other hand is a totally different and much more advanced technology because it can sense 3-D objects using the infrared sensor, not just normal hand gestures or pressure. See the BMW demo again, when they put the tiles that represent different color and wheel trim, the BMW pictures change accordingly because of this advanced surface computing technology. There is no way a normal touchscreen (used by Apple et al.) can do this.
For more information on Microsoft Surface Computing technology, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html (I just love the demos in the Surface Computing site…)
amad_a said,
October 16, 2008 @ 8:36 am
apple has been using this multitouch technology for quite some time already.. example is iPhone, the new macbook & macbook pro..
——————————————————-
the technology is not the point here, and its not a microsoft vs apple thingy.. its the fact that a car company has thought about using the technology to market their cars.
BanyakMasukWorkshop – exactly! people keep getting caught up in the wrong arguments of this Apple vs MS thingy.
btw, i kinda like the way you could drop blocks on the screen to change the colour and rims. now that’s pretty cool.
hey, maybe the interface for the future need for speed games will be sth like that, just throw away that mouse!
just as long as i do not need to touch and configure myself that is fine. what imagine where those fingers have been before they came in contact with the screen.
Ichan – it’s the same as everywhere else – public toilets, elevator hand rails, shopping centre handrails, cinema chair armrests, buses, LRTs…..etc. you can’t run away from it
and you thought the utensils in restaurants are clean? 
Well Microsoft Surface has been in development since 2001 and they’ve just pushed it on to the commercial market late last year. We’ll start seeing more of it in hotels, casinos, restaurants, maybe at the theme park as well! And it’s less of a Microsoft vs Apple thing than it is as an innovation for the masses. Sure there’ll be fans arguing that MS is better and there are those who thinks the Apple reigns supreme, but at the end of the day their products will still be in our hands.
If BMW start pushing their Konfigurator into showrooms, maybe, just maybe, we might see a Proton BuatanSendiri in the next 10 years. Lol.
PS: do they allow us to choose the colour of our spark plugs?
A very good affort by BMW. Although its q semiliar to the mouse pointer function, but atleast it give the consumer a new & fun experience while decorating their dream car : )
Imagine Proton, Perodua and our local showrooms has this configurator in the near future. Parents bringing their childrens to see this thing and those kids cannot resisit touch, scroll and play with it until….. reboot!
the girl voice sounds just like sabine schmitd, the nurburgring legend
sabine schmitz is hot….why microsoft, microsoft always breakdown
yeah she’s hot
where do the video shoot ??
i heard someone say putih when the car turn white
ALPINA BMW said,
October 16, 2008 @ 8:28 pm
sabine schmitz is hot….why microsoft, microsoft always breakdown.
Like i don’t know U are using one right now.
Anyways this is pretty cool. But full 3D is even better .
yeah she’s hot
—————————-
the ultimate car babe