Munich. The BMW Group has led the way in intelligent
connectivity for 20 years, courtesy of BMW ConnectedDrive. Customers
and their mobility requirements – in the vehicle and beyond – have
been at the heart of everything the company has sought to achieve
here. It was back in 1998 when the BMW Assist package was introduced
under the product heading of “BMW Telematics”. The first built-in SIM
card to be fitted in a BMW followed in 2004, and in 2014 it became
possible to book and pay for online services from the comfort of the
car by visiting the BMW ConnectedDrive Store. And the company’s latest
solutions, like the all-encompassing digital concept encapsulated by
BMW Connected, continue to showcase the ongoing development of
connectivity. For example, since 2016 customers have been able to link
their smartphones seamlessly with their car via a connection with the
Open Mobility Cloud. The numerous touchpoints now available and the
ability to use services anywhere have been the key enablers in
creating a 360-degree digital customer experience and bringing drivers
and their vehicles even closer together.
Highlights and awards.
The first major foray into the connected future took place in
1998 with “BMW Telematics” and the introduction of the BMW Assist
package comprising Concierge Services, as well as the up-to-date
traffic information service and Intelligent Emergency Call. At that
time, the customer’s telephone was still used for establishing the
online connection. In 2004, the SIM card was embedded into the
vehicle, enabling customers to access news, weather services and
office functions while on the move via BMW Online. A web browser was
introduced in the new BMW 7 Series four years later, followed by the
launch of the ConnectedDrive Store in 2014, which allowed customers to
book and pay for services – such as Real Time Traffic Information and
Online Entertainment products – directly from their car.
BMW ConnectedDrive is currently available in 45 countries and there
are already over 10 million connected BMW vehicles on the world’s
roads today. Over the past ten years alone, the BMW Group’s unstinting
efforts in driving forward digital connectivity through BMW
ConnectedDrive have earned it 37 national and international awards.
These figures underline the BMW Group’s international standing as a
pioneer in the field of digital development.
Milestones of the present and future.
Meeting
demands for intelligent and connected mobility via its BMW
ConnectedDrive and BMW Connected technology is not only a future goal
for the BMW Group but a very real objective of the here and now. BMW
Connected already has more than 2.3 million users worldwide. The
digital services cater to the demands of mobility today and are
constantly redefining the very concept of mobility in a way that
benefits the customer.
2018 is an important year for the future of connectivity. The new
Remote Software Upgrade feature will enable vehicles to be
automatically supplied with the latest software “over the air” at any
time, just like smartphones can. June will also mark the full-scale
in-car integration of the Alexa voice-controlled assistant – including
access to over 30,000 Alexa Skills – allowing customers to use it in
the vehicle just as intuitively as they do at home. Yet another
highlight will come in the form of the Digital Key, which uses the
customer’s smartphone as the only means of locking and unlocking the
car and starting it. Besides dispensing with the need for a
conventional car key, this will additionally pave the way for a new
form of private car sharing, as the Digital Key can be shared with
friends and family via BMW Connected. And then there is the new BMW
Operating System 7.0. This next-generation display and operating
system, which is being introduced into production models this year,
responds digitally – and even more closely than ever – to the driver’s
individual requirements.
BMW celebrates 20-year anniversary with price reductions for
digital services.
BMW’s digital services have
provided customers with unprecedented flexibility when it comes to
integrating new functions in their BMW either from home or with ease
while on the road. To celebrate this achievement, all services
–including Real Time Traffic Information, Concierge Services and
Remote Services – will be available at a 20 per cent discount from 8 May.
Click here to go to the BMW
ConnectedDrive Store and the 20 Years Special.
Together with automated driving, the ongoing expansion of
connectivity as we approach a digital and emission-free future is one
of the central spheres of activity in which the BMW Group is driving
forward the transformation of the mobility sector as part of its
NUMBER ONE NEXT strategy.