BMW set to add in-car gaming in newer 5 Series models

BMW is set to add in-car gaming to their newer 5 Series models, joining other manufacturers like Tesla and Mercedes to support video games in their cars. 

When it comes to infotainment systems in cars, we’ve come a long way from CD players, with many now turning into bonafide computers at times. 

Tesla has long been touting its console as one of its biggest talking points, with drivers being able to watch Netflix or YouTube videos on their screens, and in 2023, they even integrated Steam to allow users to play games with their car. 

And as Tesla pushes what can be added into a car’s infotainment console, BMW is joining in to support in-car gaming in their newer models. 

BMW North America

Announced at CES 2024, BMW will be jumping into the world of in-car gaming later in 2024, in addition to other tools for news, productivity, communications, and other infotainment apps.

“BMW is synonymous with both the ultimate driving machine and the ultimate digital experience,” Frank Weber of BMW said in a press release about the addition. 

“At the CES we are showing more content, more customization, and more gaming. This is all underpinned by our in-house developed BMW Operating System. And we will take a look to the future with augmented reality and reliable artificial intelligence at the interaction between human and machine.” 

This can all be accessed through BMW’s ConnectedDrive Store, of which only car owners who subscribe to BMW’s Digital Premium subscription will be able to access it. 

At CES, BMW showed off the feature with a game called Beach Buggy Racing 2, a two-player retro-style game, of which was played on controllers which were connected to the console via Bluetooth. 

Of course, you shouldn’t AA titles to be playable on the console, rather it’s more of a mobile gaming experience but on a bigger screen.