In what can be called the first global, the German car maker BMW launched an IX Flow SUV on consumer electronics.
IX flow can change the exterior color between black and white to fit the driver’s mood and save electricity.
Even though the concept of flow IX itself will not be made into a production car, many aspects of the new design language will be applied to the future showroom model.
The BMW IX stream has been wrapped in “digital paper”, which is similar to the material used on the Kindle e-reader screen.
Color changes are driven by electrical impulses, allowing the driver to change color.
The car does not need electricity to hold the color and can switch to reflective white on bright days and absorb heat coldly, thus increasing the comfort of the cabin and the range of control in conservation.
Digital papers were originally developed by MIT’s Media Lab and Functions students with the help of traditional ink pigments used in the printing industry.
This sheet contains millions of microcapsules, filled with negative white pigments and positively charged black pigments.
These capsules are stimulated with electricity which encourages selected color ink to move to the surface, becomes visible from the outside.
The Patibmw mesh triangle develops a mesh triangle pattern using generative algorithms to form plastic sheets, which are cut lasers into the right segment.
After the segment is applied and the power supply to stimulate the electric field is connected, the whole body is warmed and sealed to ensure uniform color reproduction during each color change.
Despite the fact that BMW has not announced plans to integrate this technology into the actual fleet, it is expected that car makers can adopt it for various parts of the car, especially the interior.
The application can include a dash that changes color that is not too hot, thus adding to the charm of the cabin.
BMW also states that improving technology should not be too difficult, making it more production.