ConnectedDrive, pro navigation - any tips?

[jamiebae]

I've just collected my new BMW 220d which came fitted with almost every conceivable option. This includes ConnectedDrive packet professional and Driving Assistant, and I'm not entirely sure how these work and what features I will love but don't know how to use. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I bought a stock car, and every single one in Switzerland is fitted with these, it's not that I ticked boxes for 4.5k of extras without knowing what they are

I see I can download a Spotify app, but does this then stream via my phone or does it use the car's data connection? I've downloaded the iOS BMW app, linked it to my Amazon Echo and that's about it, I suppose it's not helped by the fact the car lives in an underground garage so I can't really do much without taking it out somewhere.

So, any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

[Monty Python]

Spotify uses your phone's data connection.

[jamiebae]

Monty Python said:

Spotify uses your phone's data connection.

OK, forget that then, we both have limited data volumes and I'm not paying £50 a month extra to just be able to use that. Plus, being non-EU we don't benefit from the roaming deal so using it across the border costs a fortune...

[chandrew]

Hi,

I got a 340i xdrive with the Swiss stock 'every option possible' non-option.

I personally can't see the point with all the connected drive apps stuff. If I want any streaming app I can just play it from the phone anyway. You seem to have to launch Spotify (or Tune-in) after you've logged in to the app on your phone after you've started the car which seems utterly pointless. As you say by the time you've left your underground parking you're driving anyway.

I have to say I quite like most of the 'standard' options (a cool CHF 35,000 on my 3 series) but this one seems somewhat useless. I can justify a leather-covered dashboard any day.

Talking of useless, I used pro-nav today in France to find the nearest BMW agent because one of the multitude of electronic options was having a hissy-fit. It took me to the delivery road behind an Intermarche. Fortunately Google knew where the local BMW dealer was. Fortunately the BMW agent knew how to reset the warnings and make them go away.

I'm still waiting 3 days after sending the address to the boulangerie for it to appear in the car. I guess it'll come when I'm back in Switzerland.

[jamiebae]

I had a similar address sending issue, it appears there are multiple inboxes in the car and I did eventually find it the following day

Mine only has 19k of options, I feel like such a pauper

[msej449]

First, Greüzi to all the Swiss here. Unless of course, you're in the Valais in which case I've probably insulted you.

Anyway, note that in the UK at least, BMW Connected drive only does in-car map updates for the UK and not the rest of Europe. I have to manually download the updates for outside the UK and then transfer them to the car via USB.

If you go to your Connected Drive account you'll see what's chosen by default as your 'Region' - usually the country of purchase. The term is confusing since I never thought of the UK as other than in the 'Region' of Europe (but then I'm a Remainer :-)

This explains why, in my previous BMW, I kept getting lost in France/CH after a couple of years - because although I was getting auto in-car map updates the European maps were getting out of date. You may have to manually update maps for outside CH. Or perhaps your Region is CH, G, F and I but not Spain or the UK. Worth checking anyway ....

Edited by msej449 on Thursday 12th October 10:37

[jamiebae]

msej449 said:

First, Greüzi to all the Swiss here. Unless of course, you're in the Valais in which case I've probably insulted you.

Feel free to insult the Walliser, if they complain nobody can understand them anyway