BMW introduced Dmexco delegates to the technology of the new 7 Series in Cologne today, following the car’s official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier in the week. 

Set to go on sale in October, the luxury saloon features a fifth-generation iDrive system, which includes touchpad and touchscreen functionality, plus optional gesture control for the first time.

The vehicle can detect hand movements that are used to control functions including the volume of the audio system and rejecting or accepting mobile calls. The new system detects five different gestures, including clamp, point, rotate, swipe and a two-fingered command.

“It’s a small detail but one that we hope will make people smile. Being able to turn up the stereo or swipe away unwanted calls is a fun addition,” said Timo Resch, vice president product management, grand series, BMW. “It was crucial for us to include technologies that are exciting and engaging and bring them to the forefront of the communication and marketing around this new car.”

BMW has also introduced an advanced digital key fob, which displays information such as whether or not the vehicle is locked and how much fuel it has left. The fob can also be used to remotely park the 7 Series, without the need for a driver to be behind the steering wheel.

The Remote Control Parking function uses a mounted camera within the windscreen and additional sensors to allow forwards and reverse parking manoeuvres at the press of a button.