BMW's iDrive has become something of a benchmark for center console infotainment interfaces, heavily borrowed from by BMW's main German competitors Audi and Mercedes-Benz, as well as by Hyundai, Infiniti, and Mazda. Because it's been around for 15 years, even in its latest iteration, iDrive is one of the most familiar technologies in the futuristic 2015 BMW i8 plug-in electric hybrid sports car. And unlike other aspects of this extraordinary super car, BMW didn't try to reinvent the wheel with iDrive in the i8. It feels intuitive and familiar, if perhaps a bit complacent.

Controls
The majority of the 2015 BMW i8's infotainment and vehicle functions are accessed via a central round controller, located just below the gear shift, that works in conjunction with an 8.8-inch in-dash screen. The controller moves forward, backward, and side-to-side; turns in either direction; and can be pressed in to select a function.

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Buttons just above the controller give you access to five main functions. Media and Radio are on one side, Telephone and Navigation are on the other, and a Menu button sits in-between. Right below the controller is a Back button, as well as an Option button that can be programmed to access a favorite function not covered by the other controls.

Maybe it's because we've gotten used to iDrive over the years, but we find the menu structure is very simple to navigate. Choose one of the four main functions via its respective physical button, and it's a breeze to scroll through a vertical list of items using the controller until it highlights the feature you want, then select it by pushing down. Related functions within a submenu can be accessed by moving the controller to the left and right or forward and back. It takes a little getting used to, but the controller has a certain kind of fluid accuracy that makes it a pleasure to operate. All infotainment should be this easy.