BMW is big on its in-car connectivity and integrating their cars with technologhy, from the early development of the iDrive system nearly a decade ago to being one of the first automakers to implement active safety systems and pioneering electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Now, though, their focus turns to the their ConnectedDrive platform which has been steadily maturing over the years. The automaker is now expanding the reach of that suite of functionality bundle and are naming it BMW Connected, with an ambition to cover all aspects of personal mobility using the Open Mobility Cloud standard as a basis, which uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing infrastructure.
What this basically means is that BMW owners will have the ability to monitor and control vehicle parameters from the convenience of their smartphone or smartwatch. In its current form, the BMW Connected Suite will also focus on journey management, being able to intelligently plan routes and offer pre-emptive suggestions to get the user to their destination in the most efficient and comfortable way while also leveraging the unique capabilities of their vehicle (if available) such as using electric power at certain portions or plotting a route with a petrol station if fuel is running low.
“Over the coming years, digitalisation is set to have a substantial impact on how we use our cars: digital services will emerge that connect us fully with our personal world, no matter whether we’re out on the road or at home. The car will be transformed into a smart device – intelligently connected, seamlessly integrated and perfectly tuned to the individual needs of each and every user. This is precisely what the first version of BMW Connected aspires to achieve,” explains Dieter May, Senior Vice President Digital Services and Business Models at the BMW Group.
Right now, BMW Connected is available on Apple’s iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. However, more mobile operating systems will be supported in the future. The BMW Connected apps will integrate into the devices calendar, location, and contact information to offer the ideal time to leave for a particular engagement based on real-time traffic. Once the user then enters the vehicle, the journey information is imported and displayed on the car’s iDrive in-car navigation for the journey to commence.
This functionality can also be used to always have routes to certain frequented locations pre-planned as “Personal Learned Destinations” such as one’s home or office, ready for the user at a moment’s notice.
BMW will also be integrated into Amazon Echo soon, allowing vehicle status such as remaining charge and remote commands such as ‘door lock’ being enabled through voice interaction. Future integration with voice will also likely expand to include native Siri and Google Now integration as well.
BMW Connected has been available in the US market since April 2016, but August will see support expand to major European countries. Before long, additional markets will be added such as those in Asia and Australia.
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