How do you use ConnectedDrive?

[Feddersen]

Hi

I was wondering. After having had my BMW for more than three years I finally entered the world of ConnectedDrive today. After about 30 minutes I concluded that there was nothing of interest. Well, it works but I don't think I will use it again for the next three years. I know the amount of apps is different from country to country but I was really wondering what the value of ConnectedDrive is.

I don't know if it matters but I have the CIC Navigation Pro version.

So my question is: How do you use ConnectedDrive and what value does is offer compared to your phone?

[mjn77]

Send routes to car is my fav feature.

[c1pher]

I send routes to my car. I turn the fans on to help cool the car down. And there have been a couple times I wasn't sure if I locked the car so sent the lock signal to it.

[c1pher]

I actually do wish I could do even more with it.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I send routes to my car. I turn the fans on to help cool the car down. And there have been a couple times I wasn't sure if I locked the car so sent the lock signal to it.

Have you ever been able to get the geolocation feature to work properly?

[c1pher]

I only used it just to check it out. It was slow but did work.

[zx10guy]

I don't think mine is working. While I do get the location of my car showing on the map, it only does that if I'm pretty much next to my car with my smart phone. Which sort of tells me that the geolocation is keying off my phone than the car.

[Boxtyp3]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

I don't think mine is working. While I do get the location of my car showing on the map, it only does that if I'm pretty much next to my car with my smart phone. Which sort of tells me that the geolocation is keying off my phone than the car.

I think it only works if you're less than 0.62mi from your car.

[Feddersen]

Originally Posted by mjn77

Send routes to car is my fav feature.

Are those routes with several destinations or just single destinations? When I have to go somewhere I normally add the destination as a contact in my phone and then I choose the contact as a destination in the navigation system.

[Feddersen]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I actually do wish I could do even more with it.

I also thinkt there are unexploited options here. I have a ODB2 connecter and that gives me a lot of information that I cannot get by the apps. So first of all I would like to have all that information available by BMW apps. Then I would like to know more details for my next service. The dealer is not just around the corner so if I could send all details to them and make an agreement it would be perfect.

Due to bad data signal and sometimes also radio signal I have added a 64gb USB stik with all my music. Geolocation I am forced to have by my insurance company and it has to be certified which the BMW system is not.

I haven't explored the GoPro feature yet. Maybe I can find some use for that.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Feddersen

Are those routes with several destinations or just single destinations? When I have to go somewhere I normally add the destination as a contact in my phone and then I choose the contact as a destination in the navigation system.

As many stops / destinations as you want. I use them when plotting my routes through the mountains and want my routes to be 100% the roads i want.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Feddersen

I also thinkt there are unexploited options here. I have a ODB2 connecter and that gives me a lot of information that I cannot get by the apps. So first of all I would like to have all that information available by BMW apps. Then I would like to know more details for my next service. The dealer is not just around the corner so if I could send all details to them and make an agreement it would be perfect.

Due to bad data signal and sometimes also radio signal I have added a 64gb USB stik with all my music. Geolocation I am forced to have by my insurance company and it has to be certified which the BMW system is not.

I haven't explored the GoPro feature yet. Maybe I can find some use for that.

I have an old Nexus 7 and a Bluetooth obd2 dongle I use for this. I have navigation, so am trying to figure out the best place to put the tablet so I can use it all the time. I have the paid version of a Torque and it gives me all the extra little vitals like boost, air/fuel ratio, oil and water temp etc.

I have all my music downloaded to my phone and listen to it all over Bluetooth. I have satellite radio but don't use it so much. I only activate it if I get a $5 per month deal.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I have an old Nexus 7 and a Bluetooth obd2 dongle I use for this. I have navigation, so am trying to figure out the best place to put the tablet so I can use it all the time. I have the paid version of a Torque and it gives me all the extra little vitals like boost, air/fuel ratio, oil and water temp etc.

I have all my music downloaded to my phone and listen to it all over Bluetooth. I have satellite radio but don't use it so much. I only activate it if I get a $5 per month deal.

An alternative is this:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1207855

Works very well. With the ash tray open, I just prop my smart phone there where it sits nicely if I need to do any interaction with apps I'm running. Sometimes, I wish there was a way to transfer touch capability onto the factory nav screen. But so far this system is good enough. It's clean and you're utilizing the factory nav screen for all your video. It also gives you the option to stream music/video via WiFi. I've tested that out and it works pretty well too. I primarily use this system for the back up camera feature and Waze. I hardly ever use the factory nav system now.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I send routes to my car. I turn the fans on to help cool the car down. And there have been a couple times I wasn't sure if I locked the car so sent the lock signal to it.

Can you briefly explain how you send routes to your car? I've sent destinations to my M4 using Google Maps and the BMW Connected app on my Samsung S7 Edge, but I'd like to be able to plan a route and send that to my M4.

My understanding was that sending routes to your car doesn't work with US BMWs, but the capability is available in European cars.

[MalibuBimmer]

ConnectedDrive sounds good but is clunky and pretty much worthless in practice. The smart phone interfaces are horrendous and user unfriendly.

BMW needs to get its apps together. Most of its telematics is 20th century shit.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

An alternative is this:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1207855

Works very well. With the ash tray open, I just prop my smart phone there where it sits nicely if I need to do any interaction with apps I'm running. Sometimes, I wish there was a way to transfer touch capability onto the factory nav screen. But so far this system is good enough. It's clean and you're utilizing the factory nav screen for all your video. It also gives you the option to stream music/video via WiFi. I've tested that out and it works pretty well too. I primarily use this system for the back up camera feature and Waze. I hardly ever use the factory nav system now.

I saw this. I only want to view engine vitals through Torque. I am happy/okay with with how CIC and built in navigation works for a car

[Cibbersicks]

I wish you were able to set the heating remotely from the app - you can ventilate, which is basically running the fan, great for warm days and black leather, but winter here in the U.K. sucks and a feature to pre heat the car would be awesome

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Can you briefly explain how you send routes to your car? I've sent destinations to my M4 using Google Maps and the BMW Connected app on my Samsung S7 Edge, but I'd like to be able to plan a route and send that to my M4.

My understanding was that sending routes to your car doesn't work with US BMWs, but the capability is available in European cars.

Not sure about the US, but here in the UK, you simply login to the BMW Routes website with your ConnectedDrive login and plan your route. Then click "Save and transfer to car"

[gblansten]

1. Sending routes to the car as mentioned above.
2. I ventilate the car before I get into it during hotter times of the year.
3. I was hiking and realized that I did not lock my vehicle. So I locked it with the phone.
4. It's nice to see how much fuel I have left but that's not imperative.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by mjn77

Not sure about the US, but here in the UK, you simply login to the BMW Routes website with your ConnectedDrive login and plan your route. Then click "Save and transfer to car"

In the US, the ConnectedDrive portal (connecteddrive.bmwsa.com) only allows one to send destinations, not routes. There is no routing capability. The same for the BMW Connected app.

During our two Euro Deliveries, 2011 and last year, we tried using BMW Routes but it doesn't work due to the fact that the telephony systems differ between the EU and the US. We've even tried exporting the route to a USB stick and importing it into the car but that doesn't work either.

Google Maps allows you to send a single destination to the car, but not a route between two points.

I was hoping that MGM135is would respond to my question since he's the only other person in this thread that is from the US.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

In the US, the ConnectedDrive portal (connecteddrive.bmwsa.com) only allows one to send destinations, not routes. There is no routing capability. The same for the BMW Connected app.

During our two Euro Deliveries, 2011 and last year, we tried using BMW Routes but it doesn't work due to the fact that the telephony systems differ between the EU and the US. We've even tried exporting the route to a USB stick and importing it into the car but that doesn't work either.

Google Maps allows you to send a single destination to the car, but not a route between two points.

I was hoping that MGM135is would respond to my question since he's the only other person in this thread that is from the US.

Unlucky

[DocWeatherington]

Address to the car but also the Live Traffic Updates