Seamless connectivity is now had by all! The time is finally here and BMW has unveiled an update that is truly exciting! Android Auto is coming to customers in 20 countries this summer and will apply to all vehicles with the BMW Operating System 7.0. Similar to Apple CarPlay integration, the Android system will be wireless, allowing users to keep their phones safely in their pockets while it connects automatically upon entering their vehicle. This update has come in response to BMW customers with Androids voicing their desire to connect wirelessly without being distracted from the road.
The deal gets even better!
BMW has gone even a step further with this new update — integrating Android Auto into the new digital instrument panel. Not only will users be able to employ all parts of their phone, messaging and media apps via the central iDrive screen, but they will also be able to use them in the gauge cluster. This is extremely helpful and also shows that BMW is doing more and more with its new digital gauges. Even some of the Android auto information will be able to be viewed in the Head-Up Display.
Connectivity options just got that much better and that much more diverse. In addition, BMW stands out among automakers in that both its Apple CarPlay and its Android Auto can be accessed wirelessly — and with no fees!
Android Auto, which needs no cable connection between your smartphone and your BMW, integrates with Google Maps and plays music and is the latest and greatest digital and user-centric service addition to BMW. It’s as simple as getting in your car and from there, your Android phone is good to go! The wonderful familiarity is quickly made clear as you have the same apps on your phone as you do your heads up display. But, they are bigger and better than ever as they are displayed on your vehicle’s wide screen. The apps work exactly the same making your drive seamless.
The display of the main app application now extends to the instrument’s cluster and even to the Head Ups Display. And for those who already own a BMW with the operating system 7.0, you can still get Android Auto for it. Simply update your BMW over the air with the remote software upgrade. Simplicity at its finest!
The update will also feature the ability to subscribe to and demo features on vehicles. The support for Android Auto will also include an enhanced version of the company’s Map feature, an updated voice-activated personal assistant, deeper integration with the cloud, support for feature subscriptions and for the BMW 5-series, it turns on the new Apple Digital Key feature.
There’s more!
BMW’s Maps feature is so enhanced that it is presented as a new version that will create routes more quickly as well as use contextual information to better plan how drivers will get to their destinations. An example is that EV route guidance will be even better at finding stations for a journey, and the parking feature will use crowd-sourced data to help predict the availability of public parking spots using historical information, traffic patterns and the ultrasonic scans of parking spots from other BMWs that are driving in the area.
This system will also support GPS-enabled rules, allowing for the ability to set a preference for the window to automatically roll down when a vehicle is coming to a secure parking structure that the driver tends to visit daily. Another related feature is that it is built into the system and puts hybrid BMW’s into pure-electric mode when that vehicle enters the green zone of a European city.
Even the voice-activated assistant got a design facelift and now appears on the side of the display closest to the individual (driver or passenger) addressing it. The system also features the ability to change the drive mode of a vehicle and roll the windows up and down. BMW also has bragging rights with its improved ability to learn from the driver and their daily routine, with the vehicle adjusting routes and information presented to the driver based on those regular routes.
The automaker also has released details about how this update will bring a better trial and subscription service to features available for BMWs. For example, drivers will be able to try out services and features for a few months before having to decide about buying them or subscribing to for a pre-determined amount of time. The system also unlocks new potential sales of pre-owned BMWs.
Supporting the upgrade
Similar to many upgrades, the features and the upgrade itself to Android Auto are dependent on whether the vehicle’s hardware and software will support the upgrade. Thus far, the 2021 5-series will indeed support the features, as will vehicles to be built beginning in late July, 2020. For other vehicles, they will need to have the latest version of BMW’s infotainment system for the software parts to work and need to have NFC for the digital key from Apple to work.
Android users will no longer feel neglected as connectivity is complete for all! There has been a great deal of thought put into this update, and the features that come along with it speak to that. It’s wireless, free and is rooted in safety and convenience. Android lovers — your time has come!
