New batch of BMWs have to do without a touch screen
The persistent chip shortage is forcing car brands to make drastic choices. In order to be able to continue the production of new models, BMW is removing the touchscreen from a number of models. Instead, a normal screen will appear in the dashboard. To operate the screen, the iDrive button must be used. BMW confirms the news to the American edmunds, that picked up the news from a forum post at Bimmerfest.
The cars that will be assembled without a touchscreen are the BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series (Coupé, Convertible and Gran Coupé), the BMW Z4, BMW X5, BMW X6 and BMW X7. The electric BMW i4 retains its touch screen. You can recognize the ones without a touchscreen by the option code 6UY. US customers get $500 back on their purchase. It is not known what compensation Dutch customers will receive.
collector’s items?
Let’s try to see it positively, instead of just focusing on the fact that on a BMW over a ton you don’t have a touch screen and only get about $500 in compensation. Perhaps in a few years these BMWs will become true collector’s items – a real unicorn from the special years of corona and the chip shortage. Incidentally, there are other advantages, for example that in our opinion it is a lot safer not to use touchscreens while driving.