BMW takes integration of cars and other devices to a new level. At the 2015 CES, BMW is showing off an i3 model with a built-in SIM card which allows for some ingenious connectivity with other devices.
The future connected cars will feature a direct link with personal calendars, smart TVs, smartwatches and smartphones.
The TV in the home is transformed into a mobility dashboard.
BMW i Connected Mobility paves the way for a whole new form of journey planning that starts on the TV in the home rather than on the computer. The television, now turned into a smart TV by the addition of an internet connection, can show BMW i Remote functions such as the battery’s state of charge or the vehicle status (e.g. doors locked or unlocked). An exact driving range map can be called up on the TV that instantly shows how far the BMW i3 can travel with its current battery charge. If desired, the application can even flash up messages while the television is being watched, notifying the user for example that the BMW i3 batteries are fully charged.
For the first time, the research application also connects to the user’s stored digital appointments calendar. It synchronizes with the calendar and uses the appointments and associated venues to create a personal mobility agenda based on the principle of intermodal route planning. This means that a wide variety of means of transport are taken into account for the purpose of route guidance – from the car to local public transport to walking. The vehicles in the DriveNow car-sharing fleet can also be located, booked and used via a smartphone. Graphics showing the latest traffic reports are displayed in real time along with the possible delays, just as with the Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) system.
