Meet Dieter May, the man BMW hired to add applications into iDrive

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Part 1: Meet the man running a Technology company inside of BMW

Part 2:What will future BMWs share in the cloud? A tech firm inside BMW – Dieter May

[eleniki]

Interesting video - thnx for the share! Unfortunately, i've had my fair share of expensive issues with my iDrive.

[MSups6]

Tell me the cost of all that take it away saves me money and let me mirror my phone and voila. All i need.

[ron_jeremy]

Nokia and Microsoft background eh, BMW is fucked. :
Seriously, i'm not sure how much is invested, but i'm not sure if Apple and Google can be sidelined, and for how long, and why?
Connected drive is buggy and in a bit of a mess. And as i understand it, it's owned by Samsung.
Tesla copied Google and showed the car industry the future, now everyone are playing catch up.

[Darekme]

Now I understand why you cannot order BMW without conncted drive (I tried). They analyse the data from your cameras. From your mic probably too. Where the world is going....?

[fmorelli]

My iDrive system on my 2014 535d is retarded. How many generations of tech since about 2002?! And my 2011 non iDrive Z4 doesn't even do audio bluetooth - funny a stripper Toyota Corolla even pulls that feat. BMW Apps ... joke. Doesn't work.

Filippo

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

My iDrive system on my 2014 535d is retarded. How many generations of tech since about 2002?! And my 2011 non iDrive Z4 doesn't even do audio bluetooth - funny a stripper Toyota Corolla even pulls that feat. BMW Apps ... joke. Doesn't work.

Filippo

Honestly, I think iDrive has gotten better with each iteration. It's certainly easier to use, that's for sure. I think it's the best in car entertainment system out there.

[4schips]

Usually prefer not to speak badly about this sort of thing but...
Connecting & using apps my iPhone like Spotify or Audible is ALWAYS problematic...
ALWAYS need to restart apps and often need to re-connect iPhone to get it to work...
And why o' why do all of the apps have to launch once connected through BMWConnect App???
This is definitely an argument for an open architecture where multiple groups can compete to produce better applications...

[fmorelli]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

Honestly, I think iDrive has gotten better with each iteration. It's certainly easier to use, that's for sure. I think it's the best in car entertainment system out there.

I agree. But 15 years and how many generations, and still there is all kinds of stuff that is broken, intermittent, et cetera. Doesn't bode well for a company that considers itself first and foremost a technology company.

Filippo

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

I agree. But 15 years and how many generations, and still there is all kinds of stuff that is broken, intermittent, et cetera. Doesn't bode well for a company that considers itself first and foremost a technology company.

Filippo

Technology breaks. No code is perfect. They can refine it over time and make tweaks.

[fmorelli]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

Technology breaks. No code is perfect. They can refine it over time and make tweaks.

No kidding. As a CTO I get it. But basic stuff not working is a huge miss. BMW Connected Apps should be renamed BMW Wannabe Apps. After upteen generations, iDrive nagivation still lands one in the oddest places, especially going "back". That's just for starters. The iDrive map system, even after all these years is like using an abacus compared to a calculator.

The solution - buy a $70k replacement car because the interfaces and capabilities are inherently broken or incomplete, is not a customer-centric response. The embedded technology is not built to receive improvements. I still laugh that my wife's German Chevrolet - a 2010 VW - has working bluetooth while my $75k Z4 from 2011 is hamstrung. I'm a huge BMW fan, but I'm not going to put on the rose-colored goggles and play along with calling this evolution. It's a strategic miss.

Filippo

[Staszek]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

No kidding. As a CTO I get it. But basic stuff not working is a huge miss. BMW Connected Apps should be renamed BMW Wannabe Apps. After upteen generations, iDrive nagivation still lands one in the oddest places, especially going "back". That's just for starters. The iDrive map system, even after all these years is like using an abacus compared to a calculator.

The solution - buy a $70k replacement car because the interfaces and capabilities are inherently broken or incomplete, is not a customer-centric response. The embedded technology is not built to receive improvements. I still laugh that my wife's German Chevrolet - a 2010 VW - has working bluetooth while my $75k Z4 from 2011 is hamstrung. I'm a huge BMW fan, but I'm not going to put on the rose-colored goggles and play along with calling this evolution. It's a strategic miss.

Filippo

I agree with this, I actually like the iDrive system a lot except for the Apps, they are useless, there needs to be better integration.

Also the way the RSE is designed in our 2016 X5 is aweful, trying to get sound to work is sometimes infuriating through the iDrive remote.

[ciaranob]

Agreed with both here - I'd almost prefer that the car companies just provide an interface that phones or other devices can mirror into - (all basic car systems interfaces of course still being available on screen but let WAZE, Google or Apple map etc. apps have access to the screen to mirror nav/music etc.). This way the third party tech can stay current through an open architecture interface in the car.

Originally Posted by fmorelli

No kidding. As a CTO I get it. But basic stuff not working is a huge miss. BMW Connected Apps should be renamed BMW Wannabe Apps. After upteen generations, iDrive nagivation still lands one in the oddest places, especially going "back". That's just for starters. The iDrive map system, even after all these years is like using an abacus compared to a calculator.

The solution - buy a $70k replacement car because the interfaces and capabilities are inherently broken or incomplete, is not a customer-centric response. The embedded technology is not built to receive improvements. I still laugh that my wife's German Chevrolet - a 2010 VW - has working bluetooth while my $75k Z4 from 2011 is hamstrung. I'm a huge BMW fan, but I'm not going to put on the rose-colored goggles and play along with calling this evolution. It's a strategic miss.

Filippo

Originally Posted by Staszek

I agree with this, I actually like the iDrive system a lot except for the Apps, they are useless, there needs to be better integration.

Also the way the RSE is designed in our 2016 X5 is aweful, trying to get sound to work is sometimes infuriating through the iDrive remote.

[fmorelli]

After my HPFP blew up on the '14 535d, I was given a '17 X5 35d loaded up for about 6 weeks that it took to repair. The tech in the '17 was good, and pretty much everything worked well. Maybe everything is finally (and reasonably) sorted out, but I agree it would be great to replicate the phone capabilities.

Sorry my intention wasn't be be combative or negative. It's just been a long long and frustrating road for BMW owners on this subject.

Filippo

[MachinesWithSouls]

What I need is a device that has access to my entire music library 24/7, sends and receives text messages, even when spoken out loud, and provides realtime navigation with route updates and maybe even the location of cops.

Like my iPhone?

The answer lives in my pocket. BMW should make an app that has your cars info and maintenance schedule that you can download, but otherwise idrive does nothing better that my phone. Simply leave the screen there so I can have my phones screen up.

This will never happen of course - tech is much to big s piece of the money pie at this point, but it's nice to dream.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

What I need is a device that has access to my entire music library 24/7, sends and receives text messages, even when spoken out loud, and provides realtime navigation with route updates and maybe even the location of cops.

Like my iPhone?

The answer lives in my pocket. BMW should make an app that has your cars info and maintenance schedule that you can download, but otherwise idrive does nothing better that my phone. Simply leave the screen there so I can have my phones screen up.

This will never happen of course - tech is much to big s piece of the money pie at this point, but it's nice to dream.

And how would they make money in that? They can't charge you to use your own phone.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

I do enjoy the Wireless Apple Carplay. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are as close as a replacement we'll get for the infotainment in cars.

[E90potentialbuyer]

IDrive is one of the best, but Volvo's sensus is far easier to use. Volvo went from pretty much the worst infotainment to the best in class (excluding Tesla). Just spent a week with it in a V90 in Alpa. Cannot say enough good things about it.

BMW connected apps is a joke.

[BarlasaM]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

Honestly, I think iDrive has gotten better with each iteration. It's certainly easier to use, that's for sure. I think it's the best in car entertainment system out there.

I agree. The new iDrive system, is a lot better then the previous gen, especially with the (naturally speaking)Voice Command System it's WAAY better. Not perfect by any means but a lot better, and easier to use then some similar system offered by other brands, and over time will only get better. The whole reason for BMW not to rely on third parties, is that they want to control the data. They don't want Apple or Google to just have it. One of the reason you don't see Android Auto, and have a special deal with Apple about what data they can receive from the driver. They have invested so much in terms of time money and R&D that to BMW it makes sense to continue with it, instead of just handing it over to Google or Apple.

[Mr Carrots]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

I do enjoy the Wireless Apple Carplay. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are as close as a replacement we'll get for the infotainment in cars.

Not being able to cast my $800 phone to the screen to use waze is utterly unforgivable for a premium brand.

I know why they do it, but it doesnt make it any less objectionable