More information has been revealed about the new MINI Cooper EV, this time outlining the car’s all-new infotainment system following the reveal of the car’s cabin design. MINI says the new three-door-only Cooper Hatch boasts a new Operating System 9 software set-up that handles infotainment and other elements of the driving experience through the ultra-slim 9.4-inch round OLED display that dominates the car’s dashboard.
The new tech has been developed in-house by the brand, with the system based on Android software, opening up a new world of personalisation potential and feature availability to owners.
First up is MINI’s Experience Modes set-up, which the brand says delivers an “immersive driving experience”. Basically, these driving modes tune the use of LED light throughout the cabin – including projections on the fabric dash top if the light projector is specified – to alter the feel of the cabin based on the mode selected. This is teamed with new sound signatures that enhance the experience, according to MINI.
Core is the default mode and is linked to new driving sounds that can be heard both inside and outside the new car, the latter helping to warn pedestrians.
Think of Go-Kart mode like Sport in some of MINI’s competitors. This not only tweaks the car’s dynamic response, but also changes the interior LED lighting to anthracite and red, giving a sportier feel. The central display – called the MINI Interaction Unit – shows a racier-looking speedo readout, while there’s a different projection on the dash top.The sound signature for this setting is marked by a “pronounced pitch and fall”, MINI says, to mark the more agile and dynamic behaviour of the car.
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Next up is Green, which focuses on efficiency, dulling the car’s accelerator response, changing the ambient LED lighting to the colour you’d expect and showing animal animations on the screen to highlight the level of driving efficiency achieved.
MINI says the Balanced mode and soundscape “is based on the noises heard in a forest at different times of the day and night – from the rippling of a stream and the chirping of crickets to the rustling of the wind in the treetops.” Yes, really.
Timeless mode gives a depiction of a classic Mini speedo on the screen and serves up a sound that blends the aural signature of the original car’s A-Series engine and the exhaust note of cars such as the MINI GP with the basic sound of the Core mode.
MINI says Vivid mode focuses on the presentation of media content, such as the cover artwork of music being played, while there’s also a Personal setting where users can upload a background photo of their choice; the system will then detect the main colour from the picture and extend this across the screen to better integrate the image.
There’s also a new intelligent personal assistant, which can be activated by saying “Hey MINI”, either taking the form of a stylised version of a MINI, or Spike, a dog-like character. Occupants can ask the car what the weather is like at a certain destination or tell the car they’re hungry or want a coffee. The new OS9 tech will then call up recommendations for food and drink the area.
More importantly maybe, the system can also show charging stations along a given route if asked. The sat-nav system will also focus on charge-optimised routing in electric MINIs, drawing on live data of charging stations along the chosen route to help maximise energy and time efficiency.
