BMW goes hands-free
BMW wants you to let go of the steering wheel of its new iX3 electric SUV while barrelling down the highway at 120km/h. Seriously. That’s because it has partnered with Qualcomm to become the first car to debut what it calls Snapdragon Ride Pilot — a driver-assistance system that will literally take the wheel from you.
Well, only on the highway. Snapdragon Ride Pilot, which is powered by a custom Qualcomm SoC, co-developed with BMW, is still a Level 2+ system, meaning it’ll still require even a single watchful eye as you do… whatever it is you do while driving along the highway hands-free. Why are they doing this again?
Regardless, the Snapdragon Ride stack involves layers that all weave together to create a system that Qualcomm reckons can be used with other automakers to build “scalable solutions with flexibility, cost savings and fast time-to-market, with their own drive policy.” The first layer uses a vision stack that utilises 360-degree perception to track traffic signs, detect nearby objects, and even helps you park.
The BMW iX3 will only get its start in March 2026 after it enters production later this year, though it’s likely we’ll hear of automakers other than BMW adopting the technology before then. Qualcomm says the system is already validated in more than 60 countries, and aims to reach triple figures sometime in 2026.
They did it. They finally did it
Where do we go from here? While robo vac manufacturers continue to add bigger and better batteries (and wetter mops), there hasn’t been real innovation in the space for a couple of years. Until now. At IFA 2025, Dreame unveiled the CyberX, a new robo vac that’ll do everything yours can, with one big upgrade: it can go up stairs.
Looking like a robot dog, the CyberX can tackle any stair(s) that are 25cm or shorter in height, beating out the rest of the competition (and its own efforts) by quite a margin. Dreame’s earlier stair-climbing vacs couldn’t beat the 8cm mark, and didn’t offer proper navigation when dealing with a new dimension.
Dreame hasn’t forgotten about all the bits that are meant to make it a pro when cleaning your home, upstairs or down. A 6,400mAh battery sits inside the large body, which Dreame believe can handle five floors of your home before heading back. As for the rest of the specs, though, Dreame’s holding them close to the chest.
It’s all well and good to see Dreame’s ad showing the stair-climbing tech with CGI imagery, but another thing entirely to see it in person. Fortunately, VacuumWars managed to get a good look at the CyberX in action at IFA 2025, showing off the vac’s capabilities, which made quick work of the stairs before heading off in search of dust.
Gotta catch ’em all? This pocket Poké Ball can help with that
Missing your Tamagotchi of yore? Well, too bad. That critter is dead, and you killed it. But if you’re after a second chance at keeping a little virtual pet (preferably alive this time), Japanese toy-maker Takara Tommy is taking a crack at a Pokémon-themed model, all wrapped up in a proper Poké Ball that you can actually pet.
The “Pokémon Poke-nade Monster Ball” is already up for sale on the Amazon Japan website, and comes packed with 157 different Pokémon to catch and eventually befriend. It’s currently a Japan-only release, but with an English menu mode, it offers hope for anyone looking forward to seeing this locally. It’s currently slated for release on 11 October with a price of roughly $50 (∼R890).
You’ll spend your days looking after and fighting with the 157 Pokémon on offer, seven of which are counted as ‘Partner Pokémon’ and include more detailed animations and proper voice acting. Petting the Poké Ball elicits different reactions from different Pokémon, all depending on where you stroke it and how fast. As time wears on, you’ll grow your collection and become familiar with each of your charges’ needs and wants.
The Pocket Scion lets you get funky with mushrooms
Did you know you could control a synth using mushrooms? Yup, it’ll require a whole lot of money to set it up with a Eurorack rig, but it can be done. That’s why most folks were content to let Modern Biology have all the fun with the technology when he posted about it on TikTok a few years back. Now, though, there’s the Pocket Scion — a smaller package that’ll give you the same synth powers — as long as there’s plant-life (or your skin) nearby.
It works by capturing ‘biofeedback data’ “sourced from contact with living organisms.” It converts that data into CV (control voltage) so that when the sensors touch the mushrooms (or, again, your skin), it will complete the circuit. The changes in the bioelectricity of the matter trigger different notes in the synth.
The Scion module comes from a company called Instruo. Modern Biology approached the company a little over a year ago with the idea of turning the idea into a pocket-sized instrument. It’ll do just that, turning the data it captures into MIDI data to help create soundscapes using one of the four built-in sound engines. We’re assuming the audiophile nerds out there will turn it into something actually usable.
Picking up a Pocket Scion will theoretically cost $150 (∼R2,600). That’s because the initial run sold out almost instantly after it was unveiled, though it should be back sooner rather than later with a fresh batch, according to retailer Control Voltage.
