Video: BMW puts data on the steering wheel

BMW is well known for designing some seriously high tech and popular performance vehicles, including the M3.

Recently, the auto manufacturer debuted a new feature for its M-series of automobiles called the BMW M Performance Steering Wheel.

Essentially, the steering wheel offers a grippy sort of material covering the parts where the driver’s hand are placed. The wheel also boasts a small OLED display at the wheels 12 o’clock position. On each side of the display area are LEDs that illuminate in green up to the engines redline, where it then shows red. Formula 1 cars employ a similar shift system using lights to show what RPM range the engine is hovering at.

BMW’s cool steering wheel isn’t all about high-performance data though, as it boasts three different modes. The modes include EfficientDynamics, Sport, and Race. EfficientDynamics mode streams your average fuel consumption, speed, oil temperature, and water temperature. Sport mode offers up a lateral G-force data, and the LED strips provides details on when the driver should shift.

Gearheads will really like the Race mode, which offers the ability to track lap times using the on-wheel display, along with section split times and a drag racing style Christmas tree mode as well. Of course, the wheel isn’t exactly cheap as a $1700 option. However, M buyers who like to frequent the racetrack will likely not bat an eye at the extra option cost.