BMW has shown its vision of the future for automobility with the reveal of a concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The i Vision Dee is a futuristic mid-sized saloon with a minimalist design, advanced interior technology and a paint finish that can change through 32 colours.

Dee stands for Digital Emotional Experience and BMW says the concept is aimed at creating a stronger bond between people and their cars.

The Gernan car maker says future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems motorists are familiar with today such as a head-up display system that extends across the full width of the windscreen.

The system is due to be available in new BMW vehicles from 2025 as part of its Neue Klasse generation of models.

Another feature of the i Vision Dee sees an extension of BMW's colour-change technology first seen at last year's CES when it unveiled the iX Flow Featuring E Ink which could change its colour from black to white.

For the new concept an ePaper film from the BMW Group's co-operation partner, E Ink, is applied to the body to create a magical display of up to 32 colours. Up to 32 colours can be displayed.

The body surface of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into 240 E Ink segments, each of which is controlled individually allowing an almost infinite variety of patterns to be generated and varied within seconds.

"With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge," said Oliver Zipse, BMW chairman. "In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion.

"That is the future for automotive manufacturers - and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure,"

"At the same time, BMW i Vision Dee is another step on the road to the Neue Klasse. With this vision, we are looking far into the future and underlining the tremendous importance of digitalisation for our upcoming product generations."

Other high tech features included on the latest concept include a personalised welcome scenario that combines graphical elements, light and sound effects to greet the driver.

The headlights and the closed BMW kidney grille form a common phygital (fusion of physical and digital) icon on a uniform surface, allowing the vehicle to produce different expressions.

This means the BMW i Vision Dee can express moods such as joy, astonishment or approval visually and can even project an image of the driver's avatar onto the side window to further personalise the welcome sequence.