BMW introduced the iDrive system in the 7 Series in 2001.
The production version debuted in September 2001 on the E65-generation 7 Series, BMW’s flagship sedan at the time. It replaced a large number of separate dashboard controls with a central rotary controller and an LCD display, giving the driver access to navigation, audio, climate, communication and other vehicle functions.
The system’s roots appeared earlier in BMW’s 1999 Z9 concept car, which previewed the idea of a centralized control interface. The first production 7 Series version was much simpler than later iDrive systems: its controller initially used only a rotary knob, while the navigation computer read map CDs. BMW expanded it in 2003 with menu and customizable buttons, faster hardware and DVD-based navigation.
A common mix-up is confusing the 1999 Z9 prototype with the production launch. Another is assuming iDrive began with the E60 5 Series; that model received the system later, after its debut in the E65 7 Series.