What's the news?
MW will come out all guns blazing at the Detroit Auto Show in January with updates to the 6 Series line-up (including the M6 Coupé, Convertible and Gran Coupé models covered in detail here), expanded complementary products for the i range of cars and automatically updating satellite navigation systems to ensure you don't get lost while piloting your BMW.
The navigation systems will update over-the-air (OTA) via the car's built-in SIM card to ensure that your BMW has the most up to date systems available. It is not just the maps that can be updated however; the software that runs them can be altered through the mobile-phone network meaning that, as BMW navigation systems advance, users should not be left out of the loop just because their car is not the latest model. The updates happen automatically a number of times a year at no cost to the owner. There is no licence to be updated or data charges to be paid; just turn on your car one morning and have the latest maps waiting for you. The 2 Series Convertible is the first model to benefit from this latest generation of Navigation System Professional, but it will be rolled out across the range in time.
Of interest to owners of the i3 electric car and i8 hybrid supercar is an expansion of the ParkNow service. This allows for the pre-booking of designated parking spaces both on and off-street for electric vehicles. It can be accessed via PC, smartphone or the car's navigation system, which can guide you directly towards the reserved space, cutting out the faffing around looking for a spot. A notification can be sent when the allotted parking time is due to expire and the ability to extend the parking time remotely is included. Users can even reserve a long term parking/charging space close to their place of work or home.
Anything else?
The BMW i3 will also soon be added to the DriveNow fleet - the car sharing venture run by BMW and Sixt car rental. In doing so it will join the likes of the MINI, MINI Convertible, BMW 1 Series, BMW X1 and BMW ActiveE in the scheme that already has 350,000 members in cities such as Munich, Vienna, London and San Francisco.