When looking at a new car its features can mean the difference between saying yes or passing on the purchase. While BMW offers a lot of nice features across their whole fleet, today we’re taking a look at BMW’s Connected Drive Technology which first debuted all the way back in 2008.
What Does it Do?
Connected Drive is essentially a digital concierge built into the infotainment system of your vehicle that aggregates safety and security information and personal information into one efficient setup. Which enables nearly seamless integration between your phone, your vehicle, and you. Here’s a quick look at a few of its prominent features:
- Personal assistant integration - Syncs up with apps like Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to check your schedule on the go
- Voice Commands - The system allows you to do anything from getting turn by turn directions to selecting your favorite playlist without having to fumble around with your phone or vehicle controls
- Vehicle Status - The connected drive app allows you to check your vehicle status from your phone. No more of those “did I lock my car” thoughts
- Parking Info - Analyzes both past and real-time parking data to show you where to find that elusive open parking spot
- The App - Ties into the phone app of the same name and allows you to sync information like messages, destinations and other info straight from your phone. No more searching for that awesome Thai place you found earlier
It’s worth noting that all this data is not confined to a single screen that requires digging through different menus. Instead Connected Drive spreads the pertinent data across a range of carefully selected points within the vehicle’s cabin based on what you are expected to need them for.
The list of things that the BMW Connected Drive can do is impressive to say the least; and this list is by no means comprehensive. For a rundown of what this app can bring to your life take a look at this handy chart from BMW: ServiceAvailabilityMatrix and don’t forget to stop by and try out Connected Drive for yourself!
