Enhancements to BMW's ConnectedDrive will allow you to upgrade your car from your in-car screen
Enhancements to BMW's ConnectedDrive will allow you to upgrade your car from your in-car screen
BMW is set to bring new enhancements to its ConnectedDrive in-car entertainment systems in 2013. The technology will allow drivers to purchase upgrades for their cars while driving (including Music, BMW apps, Internet Radio, BMW Assist Online and BMW Live).
There's also talk of enabling the purchase and install of performance enhancements, suspension and car set-ups for your M3 or M5, based on the set-up of professional drivers.
The in-car screen and iDrive will come as standard in most cars, with users being able to customise iDrive's functionality to exactly what they want.
Buying a used BMW with the new system fitted will mean that you'll be able to tweak it to match your own preferences, rather than being stuck with the options selected by the previous owner. BMW even says that, in the future, anything you buy through the ConnectedDrive store could be transferred to the next BMW you own.
The idea is that all BMWs stay up to date with the latest technology, whether they are used or new. It should introduce a level of standardisation between the basic functionality of all BMW cars, and could be the beginning of a totally new approach to in-car technology.
Those who do pick up a new BMW in 2013 and benefit from the new ConnectedDrive technology should also find they have a special bespoke webpage created just for their vehicle. On this page you should see a picture of your car, in the correct colour, along with all the ConnectedDrive technology you have purchased. You can use the new web page to buy new functions for your car remotely – and find them installed once you return to it.
The presence of a SIM (and free 4G data package) in every car will also mean that BMW is able to push any kind of update it likes to a vehicle. It should ensure that, a bit like a smartphone, every car is kept up to date by the manufacturer.
Contact our BMW branches to find out more about this technology - and what you ought to expect from the new iDrive range.
