Gesture control started making an appearance in BMW’s cars back in 2015, with the then-new 7 Series. It’s now trickling down to most BMW models and will likely soon be standard equipment in every BMW. Gesture control was designed to keep drivers focused on the road. The idea is that you don’t have to reach or look for a button, keeping attention where it needs to be – on driving. Love it or hate it, it’s technology BMW seems committed to keeping around – and with good reason.
Gesture control is easy to use – once you’ve learned to use it correctly. Remember that the sensors for gesture control are above you, looking down at the space where the iDrive screen and air vents are. The image below does a good job of illustrating where to place your hand.
Another helpful method I’ve used trying to activate gesture control is to imagine two perpendicular lines. One extends from the top of the gear shift lever (or bottom of the mirror in cars without conventional shifters). The other one intersects from the top of the air vent, or bottom of the iDrive screen. Generally, that space in the middle is where you’ll encounter the most consistent success when trying to operate gesture control.
You also want to take extra care to ensure your whole hand is visible in that “box” – basically, from the wrist forward. The sensor is scanning for a full hand gesture, so it’s important to give it the clearest communication you can.
Gesture control launched with somewhat limited usability. But today, there’s almost a dozen different things you can do with it. The simplest one is accepting a call – simply extend a finger towards the iDrive screen and then back again. You can also use this to confirm pop-up menus. Rejecting a call – and, cancelling those same pop-up selections – is easy too. Just wave your hand to the right. A third, lesser-known use of this “dismissing” gesture is canceling voice commands.
One of the most recognizable – and easy to perform – gestures is the volume control. Moving your hand in a circular motion with your index finger extended will allow…
