BMW ConnectedDrive offers rolling Wi-Fi, in-car browser, Street View
Come take a gander at pictures of BMW’s freshly updated ConnectedDrive infotainment system, which now comprises a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, an integrated Web browser and a sat-nav that features Google Street View.
Back in the day, in-car entertainment mainly consisted of playing I spy or singing Coming ’round the mountain until a petite lump of you died inwards. That’s all switched now, tho’. For example, BMW’s freshly updated ConnectedDrive infotainment system now comprises a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, an integrated Web browser and a sat-nav that features Google Street View.
ConnectedDrive, available on most BMW models, offers a diversity of features designed to improve the convenience, safety and entertainment value of your journey. Arguably the most titillating of these is BMW Internet, a feature that gives users unlimited access to the Web via a browser on the car’s integrated display.
From a stationary vehicle, the driver and front passenger can surf the Internet via the car’s iDrive user interface, twisting and pressing the joystick on the centre console to control an on-screen cursor.
Previously, Web browsing capability came courtesy of the car’s built-in SIM card, but, as of this month, BMW is permitting its customers to get online in a duo of fresh ways. Firstly, drivers can tether a 3G mobile phone via Bluetooth, utilising their handset’s data connection to access the Web on the car’s integrated browser.
The company will also roll out a Wi-Fi hotspot function that permits users to connect a 3G broadband dongle via one of the car’s USB ports. Again, this permits users to go online via the car’s own browser, but also to access the Web on laptops and tablet PCs over a Wi-Fi hotspot created by the vehicle.
As if that wasn’t enough, Google has also supplied ConnectedDrive with a diversity of Google services that are accessible outside of the browser. When injecting an address into the sat-nav, users have the option to view 360-degree pics of their destination using Street View. The driver can also view pictures uploaded to Google’s Panoramio website by the general public.
Eventually, BMW has updated ConnectDrive with a multiplicity of phone-based mobile-office features. The system will read aloud emails and texts received on BlackBerry brainy phones and display calendar entries and contacts (accomplish with pictures) on the vehicle’s integrated display.
Thanks to support for updated Bluetooth features in the Apple iOS four operating system, BMW users can also control almost every feature on an iPhone four via the car’s central display or the remote buttons on the steering wheel.
ConnectedDrive is available on most BMWs, including fresh one Series, three Series, five Series, six Series, seven Series, hybrid, M, X and Z4 models, and can be retrofitted to older BMW models.
Click through our photo gallery above to get a closer look at all the features mentioned above.