BMW 5-Series infotainment system lets you play co-op video games

Soon after introducing the eighth-gen BMW 5-Series, the company has filmed a short video dedicated to the gaming features its infotainment system brings along.

The i5 featured below comes wrapped in a special livery sporting a ‘pixelated’ pattern on the hood as a reference to the classic 8-bit video games. The iDrive software on board gets updated from version 8 to version 8.5 in the new generation, adding new functionality to the twin displays in the middle of the dashboard.

The idea to merge the 12.3-inch instrument cluster with the 14.9-inch central screen came to BMW two years ago and was first implemented on all-electric models. This arrangement is now standard for all future releases and unlocks new opportunities, such as playing games using your smartphone as a controller.

To do so, all you need is scan a QR code on the display. The system comes preloaded with single-player and multiplayer games, but it goes saying that they only work when the car is parked.

Heading into the future, BMW promises to expand the offer of games and game-enabled car models.