CES:If You Want Technology & Android Auto In Your Next BMW You Are Going To Have To Pay Extra

BMW who are known for their ‘Ultimate Driving Machines’ has used CES 2024 to reveal a new in car operating system that was desperately needed with several current models on sale in Australia struggling to deliver the basic Android OS.

Finally, BMW is focusing on the interior of the vehicle, in particular the technology you will get in future models.

Speaking at CES, Frank Weber, chief technology officer and member of the board of management responsible for BMW Group development, said that the company was showing “more content, more customization, and more gaming.” And coming soon, the company’s operating system will feature “perfectly aligned” augmented reality and “strong, reliable” AI to enable better communication between the car and the driver.

Earlier in the day LG showed their new in car operating system that also interfaces with Web OS their entertainment management system that they acquired from HP ten years ago.

Ironically, they showed a BMW logo on featured illustrations during their presentation.

BMW claim that what they will deliver in the future is new streaming video content and gaming options to its vehicles.

For its future lineup, BMW Australia customers will be able to get access to previously unavailable technologies, including augmented and mixed reality and in-car voice assistants powered by generative AI.

At the heart of the next BMW’s will be BMW’s OS 9, also known as iDrive 9 and ironically it relies on Google’s Android Automotive software to deliver an in-car experience.

I have been driving BMW vehicle for over 35 years and with my current model X4 Android fails to connect all the time, and to my horror my wife’s X2 was shipped totally devoid of Android Auto, however it did have Apple’s in car system which BMW appears to be dropping.

Here’s the catch BMW customers who want technology in their cars are going to have to buy an additional “BMW Digital Premium” package to get access to a range of third-party apps from the company’s ConnectedDrive store.

In other words, Android users are going to have to pay to get it in their next BMW.

There is one benefit BMW passengers will be able to use real video game controllers when playing games in their cars.

The automaker says “any standard gaming controller with Bluetooth capability” can be used as long as the customer’s vehicle supports Operating System 9.

Over-the-air software updates that will enable video game controllers are coming in 2024,

Using BMW’s preexisting AirConsole app, vehicle owners can choose between single-player and multiplayer games. “Casual” games in which customers can use their smartphones as controllers will also be available.

Currently BMW is working to integrate something called “DTS AutoStage Video Service powered by TiVo,” which it says includes “both live channels and on-demand media libraries covering the categories news, sport, entertainment for kids, movies and TV series.”

That system was first launched with BMW’s 5 series and will be coming to more models via an over-the-air software update in 2024.

At CES BMW is allowing visitors to access a pair of Xreal Air 2 AR glasses, which use Micro OLEDs to project a 1920 x 1080-pixel display in front of your eyes.

In this way, they will “see how navigation instructions, hazard warnings, entertainment content, information on charging stations and supporting visualizations in parking situations are embedded perfectly into the real-world environment.”

BMW claims that they want to create an “industry standard” for how AR and MR can be used in vehicles.