The biggest over-the-air update in the history of BMW gets underway starting with Feb 22nd, 2021, with over 1 million vehicles from over 20 model lineups targeted to receive the system upgrade. This moment also marks another milestone for the BMW Group as this is also the biggest update campaign ever carried by a European automotive manufacturer.
In a few words, the new Remote Software Upgrade measure prepared by BMW brings a deep integration of the Amazon Alexa assistant with the BMW OS 7.0 infotainment interface, as well as a new, more user-friendly logging method using My BMW app and the expansion of Active Navigation now including further countries, together with other special enhancements and additions.
With the new OTA update relevant for v11/20 of the OS 7.0, BMW Group further improves the customer experiences with respect to functionalities available for the Amazon Alexa voice assistant. The technology is now commonly accessible and usable like at home, because from now on BMW customers will be able to control smart home devices from their car, together with other features, such as editing shopping lists, accessing the latest news and playing music.
For the time being, the Amazon Alexa upgrade for BMW OS 7.0 will be available for BMW vehicles registered in Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy, with more countries and functions to follow on subsequent update measures.
Another improvement brought by the new Remote Software Upgrade will ease the access to the personal BMW driver profile by scanning a QR code in the My BMW app to log in in the car. This will also ensure all personal driver settings, such as climate control or seat position, will be automatically imported in every car where the profile is logged in to, including rental vehicles.
What’s more, the latest upgrade for the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant offers clients a beguiling taste of the sound made by the engines installed on the dream BMW M models. A question along the lines of “Hey BMW, what does a BMW M8 sound like?” prompts the arrival of a stirring aural accompaniment highlighting the high performance of such models.
Featured as an extended function of the Steering and Lane Assistant, the Active Navigation will now also be available for BMW customers in France, Portugal and Spain. Moreso, the recent over-the-air update also include further enhancements for the BMW M Laptimer, which promises greater driving pleasure on the track with the help of sensor data gathered directly from the vehicle (including accelerator position, rev speed, G-meter).
Other additions as part of the update program include the possibility of choosing an own, personalized image for the user’s driver profile, as well as the possibility to erase all data associated with the My BMW app and My BMW ID as to properly revert to vehicle factory settings. Last, but not least, the Integrated Owner’s Manual onboard every BMW model fitted with OS 7.0 architecture will be updated with the latest information.
