Buying a new car means choosing a color, and once you do, the color you choose will determine the rest of that car's life Sure, you could repaint it, but that's a hassle and not something you do on a regular basis [That's where the BMW iX Flow comes in This electric SUV is wrapped in the same E Ink as a Kindle screen and can change colors at the push of a button

No, this is not April 1, but a real feature developed by BMW For now, the color switching feature is limited to black and white; jump to 2:30 to see the iX Flow's cool color changing capabilities

The iX Flow was on display at CES in Las Vegas, showing that color-changing E Ink is a real invention, not some outlandish digital knockoff

The ability to change colors is great, especially if you live in a hot climate where black cars get warm enough to bake cookies on the dashboard

However, BMW explains that the coloring can also be used to flash the iX Flow if you lose track of it in a parking lot or to convey some information, such as battery level or cleaning status

The wrap is not perfect It is still a little rough around the edges, and the triangular pattern on the panels is clearly visible when the colors are changing or when you get close But it is still a pretty cool idea, especially with the extra use cases as described by BMW

White and black are very basic colors, and flow cannot be switched to another color like blue or green Color E Ink exists, so it is not impossible to imagine a day when it will be possible, but for now it remains monochrome

Sadly, the iX Flow is only a concept car, even though the technology is being applied to the upcoming BMW EV So don't expect to be able to buy a color-changing SUV anytime soon

The Flow's E Ink wrapping is not the only concept feature BMW will showcase at CES; BMW is also displaying future upgrades to in-car entertainment, including a 31-inch 8K TV screen with access to Amazon's Fire TV software The car will also be equipped with 5G It is also equipped with 5G, which should allow for high-resolution content without buffering

The screen is located behind the driver's seat, so no one will be looking at the Wheel of Time when they should be concentrating on driving However, with the changing nature of cars, especially as they become more electrified and autonomous, BMW is examining what the car of the future might look like

Apparently, that means turning the car into a movie theater on wheels that can change color at the touch of a button