What is BMW ConnectedDrive and is it worth it?
BMW’s ConnectedDrive can be a real aid for drivers, but what exactly can it do?
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What is BMW ConnectedDrive?
Infotainment systems these days are packed full of features, driver assists and connectivity apps.
Infotainment is digital connectivity and it’s hard to imagine cars with infotainment systems these days.
That screen that’s the centre of your car universe is uniquely designed by each manufacturer to make driving your car the most faff-free experience possible.
BMW ConnectedDrive is BMW’s connectivity suite that every new BMW car, including electric cars, now comes with. Plenty of used BMW models also have this tech built-in.
BMW built its own software to combine driver favourites like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with safety functions like blind spot assist and lane-keep assist, and convenience menus like journey planning.
ConnectedDrive was originally launched in 2008, but now it refers to three key services under one name: Digital Services; Driver Assistance Services; and the BMW Connected App.
Essentially, it sorts your life out on the road – it improves safety, user experience, and makes driving as convenient as possible.
It’s a sim card system that connects your BMW to the internet, and you can access it via the infotainment screen and digital dials and your smartphone.
What can digital services do?
Digital services – which BMW ConnectedDrive encompasses – help you have the smoothest journey possible, and this starts even before you get in the car.
BMW ConnectedDrive’s digital services consists of four parts. ‘My Assistant’ helps you with Concierge Services, Remote Services, Remote 3D View and Intelligent Personal Assistant.
BMW designed it to provide you with your very own assistant to help with everything your journey could possibly need.
For all information about your car – from services to over-the-air updates to how efficiently you’re driving – then use the ‘My Car’ part of Digital Services.
For the fun and onboard infotainment, you’ll want to use the ‘My Life’ feature.
You can hook up your smartphone to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, or connect to apps directly like Deezer (remember, that Jay-Z platform) to stream.
‘My Journey’ is the on-the-road part of Digital Services, which includes everything from real-time traffic information to location services.
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What does BMW ConnectedDrive add to my car?
BMW currently uses Operating System 7 for its new cars. ConnectedDrive adds a lot to your car because it uses artificial intelligence to make sure that your learnt needs, preferences and routines are catered for.
As soon as you get into your BMW, it will tailor itself to you so you feel instantly at home.
The list of things that ConnectedDrive adds to your car is extensive so it’s easier to break it down into a few overarching groups.
Driving
ConnectedDrive will (as the name suggests) hook you up with all the bells and whistles you need to make your drive a doddle.
This includes safety assists, parking assists (some BMWs even park themselves), driving modes, vehicle locator, journey stats – really anything and everything about your daily driving is covered.
Emergency SOS and breakdown services are one of the most reassuring features to remember.
You can also adjust cabin temperature and the heated seats from the BMW App while you’re sitting on the sofa – if you wanted to.
It’s also worth noting that if you drive an electric BMW, these driving services include battery status, range calculators and access to the BMW charging network – as well as helping you find nearby chargers, their availability and cost.
Entertainment
ConnectedDrive basically mirrors your smartphone or tablet. You can download and stream from your favourite apps directly, from your favourite Audible podcasts to your Spotify playlists. You can even sync your Apple Watch.
Personalisation
This is a loose umbrella term for everything BMW Concierge covers really. BMW has tried to make work and home life move on the go with you.
It’s a hands-free assistant setup – your calendars are synced so you can dial into calls and meetings, and it will estimate your arrival time to your next work function or your child’s sports event.
You can dictate messages, arrange flight times, and find restaurant and hotel reservations. It’s incredibly impressive and should take the stress out of juggling life on the go.
How is ConnectedDrive work, and how is it different from other digital offerings?
BMW ConnectedDrive is one of the most advanced digital service platforms out there.
It works through software that’s installed in your BMW infotainment touchscreen.
Physically, you access it through the curved touchscreen system in your BMW or (in older models) through the central display screen and accompanying dials.
You can also access it using steering-mounted controls and the BMW App.
Think of it like a smartphone system built into your car. It connects to the internet using a 4G SIM card and grabs onto the existing mobile connection.
This also means any software updates can be installed when the car is off overnight through over-the-air updates.
If you’re after one of the most comprehensive and intuitive digital service systems, then you can’t go far wrong with BMW’s ConnectedDrive.
It’s designed to understand you and your preferences and distinguish between the different drivers of the car.
This is where ConnectedDrive stands out from other digital offerings. The MyBMW App is the perfect way to get started with ConnectedDrive, and you’ll find the harmony between the app and the in-car experience keeps even the most technophobic of drivers comfortable.
It learns about you gradually and you can set up your profiles at the speed you wish. A bit like dating, you get to understand the quirks the more time you spend together.
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What are the costs of BMW ConnectedDrive?
The BMW ConnectedDrive is free for the first three months of ownership when you buy any new BMW in the UK.
After that, you can continue the services, you want through a subscription.
A bit like subscribing to Netflix, the more features you want, the more expensive the subscription service will be.
You can build your subscription out how you like, prioritising different packages and features over others. A 12-month subscription for navigation services, for example, costs around £80.
One of the more expensive features, Active Cruise Control with Stop and Go function, is a one-off £750 purchase.
There are 12 packages to choose from, but you’ll need to check your car because depending on the age of the vehicle, some hardware might not support particular updates or packages.
You can also opt to pay monthly for some individual add-ons like heated seats, so you can save money in months you won’t be needing them – this is a handy little saver!
We’d recommend weighing up the most important features for you (if you’re driving your family, it might be Safety Assists, while a younger driver might want entertainment) and prioritising accordingly.