BMW is currently rolling out its third remote software upgrade this year for its impressive fleet of cars. The new software will reach around 2 million cars worldwide and will bring comprehensive improvements to key vehicle functions, among other things. By the end of 2021 over 2.5 million BMW vehicles will have the latest software on board, covering all types of cars, not just electric ones but also ICE versions.
The latest version of the BMW Operating System (ver. 21-07) will be rolling out with this occasion and the eligible cars are already starting to get notifications about it today. As usual, the campaign will start in Germany and then extend to other markets in the following days. According to BMW, the new software will not just improve key vehicle functions but also bring the latest digital products inside the cars.
One area that will be improved will be the driver assistance functions. BMW claims that the new version will eliminate unnecessary steering interventions with the improved Lane Departure Warning system. Furthermore, the car will allow you to see what it sees with the new Assisted View function, when Adaptive Cruise Control is activated and the car is in moving traffic, including in fog. This feature will now be available in China too.
The car will get better on-route traffic information to plan routes more precisely. Apps will be updated too. For example, the on-board Spotify app will now offer podcast playlists through BMW Connected Music. An improved Android experience is in the books too, as Bluetooth connectivity will apparently now offer an enhanced sound experience for music and podcasts, whatever that means. Last, but not least, there will be a new BMW M Sound Control feature for the M3 and M4 models, allowing you to customize the engine sound pumped into the cabin further than before.
Vehicles with BMW Operating System 7 produced from July 2021 on already come with the latest version, including all additional functions. You can view the software version and check for available upgrades in the vehicle settings under Remote Software Upgrade. Vehicles with software older than version 20-07 cannot install the latest version until the intermediate version has been downloaded and installed. Only the next possible upgrade is available for installation, so the user can never install the wrong version.
The availability of services and functions depends on the vehicle model and equipment, as well as the software version installed in each country. Customers can view the release notes for their respective market on the country pages of the BMW website.
