No kidding! Progress gets the last laugh!

With the introduction of its Neue Klasse models in 2025, BMW is redefining the driving experience – thanks in part to visionary technologies. The path to the next generation of vehicles also symbolises progress. Innovative developments now make it possible to implement processes in vehicles that once seemed like a distant dream. They once appeared so futuristic that they were deemed the perfect material for April Fool’s jokes. They are a long-standing tradition at BMW – and sometimes BMW was simply ahead of its time with them.

Let us look back at previous April Fool’s jokes – from a washing system for the BMW logo and an ambient air conditioning system to BMW Instant Messaging – and discover how some of these technical fibs became reality, in one form or the other.

In 1989, BMW presented a “significant advancement in anti-theft technology” as part of an April Fool’s joke – the Driver’s Weight Sensor (DWS). This system was said to compare the driver’s weight with a pre-programmed value and only start the engine if the difference was no more than 5 percent.

Today, seat occupancy detection is considered a safety feature in the context of air-bag deployment. In the near future, car seats could play an important role in the communication between the driver and the vehicle – not as an immobiliser but as a comfort and feel-good zone. This is because vehicles are set to acquire tactile abilities through “tactile intelligence”.

For this purpose, BMW robotics expert Mohsen Kaboli, among others, is developing a cognitive seat that could be found in BMW vehicles in just a few years. The entire seat and the associated centre console are equipped with thousands of tactile sensors. (➜ Read more: A touch of the future with BMW). They recognise the distribution of body weight and can detect whether a passenger may be tense, has an unhealthy posture or orthopaedic issues – and automatically correct the seating position.

Shortly before the turn of the millennium, BMW presented a new “Klimatarbeiter” technology for the BMW 7 Series in an advertisement. This technology was said to create various air conditioning ambiances inside the car – including “Bavarian Mountain Medley”, “New England Fall”, “Bessarabian Breeze” or “English Summer”.  Even the name of the inventor – Dr. Heidi Luftkopf (meaning “air head” in German) from the BMW research institute Stenchnicht in the Bavarian mountains – was a humorous clue that this was a charming fib.

What was presented as a tongue-in-cheek vision back then is now reality, thanks to cutting-edge technology. The intelligent climate control system not only regulates the air volume and distribution, but also the steering wheel, seat and dashboard heating, to guarantee optimal ambient comfort at all times. The system takes a variety of factors into account – such as the number and position of the occupants, as well as the intensity and direction of direct sunlight –  and is therefore particularly efficient.

With BMW MyModes, the air conditioning can be customised even more specifically to the driving experience. Depending on the selected mode, not only the ambient light and the digital display, but also the interior climate adjusts. For example, MyMode Expressive provides a revitalising environment and can adjust the air conditioning to create a refreshing air flow. MyMode Relax, on the other hand, creates a relaxing atmosphere with gentle temperature control and reduced fan speed.

Personalisation of the driving experience and interior reaches new levels in 2025 with the introduction of the BMW Operating System X (➜ Read more: the evolution of BMW iDrive). Personalised images can be uploaded as a background for the Central Display, and the colour selection of the Ambient Light and the entire display network can also be customised.

BMW placed an ad in which a new “Automatic Translation System” was announced for its vehicles. This device (developed by the lead engineer Urbein Waundad), was said to translate each of the most important European languages into English at the push of a button. Additionally, it could apparently automatically read and translate any road sign it passed.

What was presented as a tongue-in-cheek vision back then is now reality, thanks to cutting-edge technology. BMW vehicles have long been able to analyse their environment and provide relevant information. The BMW road sign recognition detects speed limits, no-overtaking restrictions and other important road signs in real-time and displays them on the screen. In combination with other driver assistance systems, the vehicle automatically adapts to speed limits – a convenience and safety feature that makes driving an even more relaxing experience.

The communication between the driver and the vehicle is also more intuitive than ever. The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant enables seamless connectivity and a completely new way of interacting with the vehicle. It answers questions on vehicle functions, provides information on the vehicle status and executes voice commands - all in multiple languages.

At BMW, the logo is crystal clear! In 1988, BMW announced a technological innovation in an April Fool’s ad: the Badge Wash System. The ad stated that a tiny sensor in the wiper arm could measure the light which was reflected from the white parts of the BMW logo. If even a tiny layer of dirt was detected, the wiper would apparently turn on.

Today, this humorous idea almost reflects reality with the BMW 7 series. The cameras and sensors of the BMW 7 series need to work perfectly, even in rain, mud and snow.  Therefore, a special system is integrated to clean the front and rear cameras. The BMW badge extends and sprays the camera lens to ensure a clear view.

In 1985, BMW announced that its head developer, Brehn, had found a solution for maintaining the correct tire pressure: tire pressure monitoring on the dashboard, made possible by a sophisticated rotatable seal. In the mid-80s, this would have been innovative, but in a way, it was still far ahead of its time.

Today, the tire pressure control can be monitored comfortably on the display and be adapted to any driving situation. The direct-measurement system determines the tire pressure in all tires with the help of wheel electronics, and also records the tire air temperature.