The BMW Group has a long history of digital innovation. Over 22 million BMWs around the world are already Connected Cars, linked to the BMW Cloud. But when it comes to the digital experience, the internet connection alone is only half the story: every feature in our cars has a digital component that fundamentally shapes the driving experience. Software-defined vehicles are already with us – in the latest generation of BMW Group cars.
These days, the art of car construction can be defined as the ability to perfectly orchestrate the interplay between hardware and software. And we are a pioneer and innovator in the field.
Thanks to our innovative software solutions – which we have developed both in-house and together with our partners – we can create uniquely integrable products and services for outstanding digital experiences. From the digital vehicle key, over-the-air updates and a comprehensive offering of apps to the seamless integration of the car, as a smart device, into the digital everyday lives of customers.
BMW iDRIVE - FOCUS ON THE DRIVER.
Nowadays, the BMW iDrive is a multi-sensory vehicle experience. It’s all about intuitive human-machine interaction – be it via physical buttons, speech, touchscreen or gestures, the emotional driving experience, and a wide range of information, entertainment and digital functions.
What started 20 years ago, with the introduction of the rotary push-button, is now entering the digital future – as the latest-generation BMW iDrive in the Neue Klasse. Here, the redesigned steering wheel with multi-function buttons, central display with intuitive touchscreen and BMW Panoramic Vision meet the advanced voice control of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to deliver effortless, intuitive human-vehicle interaction. BMW Panoramic Vision projects all the key information across the entire width of the windscreen, complete with enhanced BMW 3D Head-Up Display in series models of the Neue Klasse.
OPERATING ON A NEW LEVEL: THE BMW OPERATING SYSTEMS 8.5 AND 9.
The new BMW Operating Systems 8.5 and 9 are our latest infotainment systems. Developed in-house, they bring together the latest generation of displays, controls and software as well as high-performance 5G connectivity and Gigabit Ethernet data processing to offer an exhilarating experience. With their driver-focused, intuitive operations and their wide-ranging entertainment offering – which includes in-car gaming and video streaming – the two systems successfully combine practical advantages with digital entertainment.
Our cars are an integral part of our customers’ digital ecosystems and promise a unique driving experience: Sheer Driving Pleasure.
HUMAN AND MACHINE - BRIDGING THE GAP WITH INTUITIVE VOICE INTERACTION.
Since 2018 the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant has been supporting drivers by operating a range of functions in their cars. Nowadays voice control is an integral and essential part of vehicle operations and supports BMW’s core philosophy: “Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.
Together with our partners, we constantly work to improve the Intelligent Personal Assistant’s speech processing – for all BMW Group brands – and further the ever-advancing innovations in human-machine interaction as an essential means of control.
FROM APP TO CAR - PERFECT SMARTPHONE CONNECTION.
The My BMW and MINI apps are the universal interfaces for seamless driver-car communications. They are currently used by more than 13 million customers around the world (as at 2024), giving them direct access to their BMW dealer and the brand. Customers can use the apps for things like planning travel routes – and importing them straight to their in-car navigation systems – arranging service appointments, finding out more about their vehicle’s condition and keeping up to date with the BMW brand. In addition, depending on their car’s equipment package, the My BMW app offers remote services such as locking and unlocking of car doors. And thanks to the user’s central BMW ID, their full range of preferred settings can be transferred straight from their smartphone to any other BMW vehicle as well, provided it runs the BMW Operating System 7 or later.
NEXT-LEVEL IN-CAR ENTERTAINMENT.
The BMW iX was the first series vehicle in the world to feature 5G connectivity. Since then, 5G-capable telematic modules have become an integral part of every new BMW and MINI – by popular demand. With its BMW Theatre Screen and Amazon Fire TV, the BMW 7 Series sets standards in in-car entertainment and brings the cinema experience to private transport. Greater bandwidth and reduced latency offer high-quality browsing and streaming as well as a high-performance WiFi hotspot for fast smartphone connections.
In vehicles with BMW Operating Systems 8.5 and 9, the integrated AirConsole gaming platform offers next-generation entertainment and banishes boredom while stuck in traffic. The video app also offers end-to-end entertainment, thanks to the various country-specific streaming services and media libraries. And with BMW Operating System 9, there is a constant flow of additional third-party apps available from app stores, to transform modern-day vehicles from mobility tools into dynamic lounges.
DRIVING EXPERIENCE UPDATED.
Real-time updates and new features: the biggest fleet in the world with full over-the-air upgradability is the BMW Group’s. Over 7.4 million vehicles (as of 2024) are now remote-software-upgrade-capable, allowing the BMW Group to update any line of code in the vehicle software. The new software package can either be transferred to the vehicle via the My BMW app or downloaded straight to the car while driving. Installation takes no more than 20 minutes and takes place as soon as the driver launches the update on leaving the vehicle.
