At the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the German manufacturer unveiled the new BMW’s color-changing paint technology.
BMW is a pioneer in technological innovations and the color-changing paint technology is the next step forward. The technology’s specifics are yet to be revealed by the German carmaker.
“In the future, digital experiences will not only take place on displays. The real and the virtual will increasingly merge,” said Frank Weber. He is a member of BMW AG’s board of management. “With the BMW iX Flow, we are bringing the car body to life.”
What is BMW’s color-changing paint technology?
It’s an idea that allows car owners to change the color of their vehicle’s exterior by pushing a button.
The SUV with the iX Flow tech on display at CES has a specially built body wrap. It changes the color of the vehicle’s exterior via electrical signals, according to BMW.
This color-changing paint technology will open up a world of possibilities for customization. It will not just be for cars and bikes, but also for other products such as smartphones.
During a video presentation of the technology, Stella Clarke, project lead for BMW iX Flow incorporating E Ink, claimed it will allow drivers to better personalize their vehicle to their preference.
“You choose the clothes you wear. You choose your social media status. And you can choose the color of your car,” she said.
The iX Flow may do more than just make your car appear better. If you’re trying to find a car in a congested parking lot, the outside of the car could flash multiple colors.
The paint is temperature sensitive
In a video shared on social media, an iX SUV in dark gray color transforms to white when the color-changing paint system is activated. The paint eventually changes from gray to white.
Out of Spec Studios tweeted, the color-changing process is “very temperature-sensitive,” suggesting if the car becomes too hot or cold, it may not work.
Customers may or may not be able to use this BMW’s color-changing paint technology
It’s unknown whether BMW’s color-changing paint is designed just as a technical display or would be made available to customers in the future. More information is expected to be released soon.
More about the technology
Many millions of microcapsules with a diameter equal to the thickness of a human hair are embedded in the surface coating of the BMW iX Flow incorporating E Ink. Negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments consist in each of these microcapsules. Stimulation with an electrical field causes either white or black pigments to concentrate at the surface of the microcapsule, giving the automobile body the desired hue, depending on the setting.
Merely don’t expect to see this at your local BMW dealership anytime soon; it’s just an “advanced research and design project,” according to the carmaker.
