BMW will launch a newly revised BMW ConnectedDrive Store – which offers BMW customers access to the complete spectrum of services and vehicle app like real time traffic and BMW Internet Services – in South Africa in September 2016. By Gugu Lourie
The store will be an extension to the current BMW ConnectedDrive Portal to allow further personalisation. The full suite of BMW ConnectedDrive services was first introduced in South Africa in June 2014.
With the built-in SIM card and a BMW registered account, customers are able to access their personal, password-protected BMW ConnectedDrive area, make individual settings and manage vehicle-related data and services. So, drivers could access the BMW ConnectedDrive Store while on the move by means of the BMW’s in-car system. As a result, BMW customers are even able to select and book individual services while on business trips or on holiday, and then use them within minutes.
The revised BMW ConnectedDrive Store offers customers flexible choice of services available for variable periods.
BMW ConnectedDrive has split up its portfolio of mobility services into individual options, which can be booked and used separately and combined together as the customer desires. For added convenience, particular services are available for variable periods, ranging from just one month to one year or longer.
“This places the customer completely in the driving seat, as they can activate the functions and services that suit them best and at just the right time, such as while travelling on holiday,” Edward Makwana, BMW South Africa’s spokesperson said.
“The various running period options furthermore allow the functionality of specific services to be tested out in practice for a limited time. For BMW and BMW i customers, this all adds up to unrivalled product diversity, the utmost individuality and flexibility, as well as considerably lower starting prices.”
BMW Connected Drive Services:
1. Unbeatable convenience – Remote Services.
Looking for your car on a crowded parking lot outside the shopping centre on a Saturday? It’s not necessary. With Remote Services you can save yourself the inconvenience of a long search. Thanks to the services, you can control your BMW from afar. And you can do more than find your vehicle on a large parking lot.
With Remote Services you transform your smartphone into an intelligent and convenient remote control for your vehicle – via the My BMW Remote App or the BMW Call Centre. Now you just have to reach into your jacket pocket to have access to your BMW via your iPhone or Android device.
Perhaps you’re no longer sure of whether you locked your BMW? Or you may not have your key to hand? Then you can lock and unlock you car with the Remote Services from BMW ConnectedDrive. And if you’re unable to find your vehicle straight away, you can flash the headlights and sound the horn using your smartphone.
Pricing for the BMW Remote Services is R700 in the BMW 5 Series and R1,100 in all other BMW models. This feature is standard in the BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M.
2. BMW Internet Services – surf the net in your BMW.
Thanks to the permanently installed SIM card, the Internet Service from BMW ConnectedDrive enables you to access the infinite possibilities of the World Wide Web. With no mouse, no extra monitor, but all very quickly and conveniently by iDrive Controller and the integrated high-resolution Control Display. And surfing in your vehicle functions just as easily as if you were at home.
The BMW Internet Service feature runs for a period of one year after the vehicle’s first registration. The customer can extend the service for an additional charge beyond the initial period via the BMW ConnectedDrive Customer Portal. Pricing for the BMW Internet Service is R1,500 and standard in the BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M.
3. BMW Concierge Services – answers anytime and anywhere.
The Concierge Service connects the car with a 24-hour BMW Call Centre, allowing a BMW driver to get assistance in finding points of interest such as restaurants, hotels, nearest pharmacy, ATMs, selecting destinations and planning a journey. The pricing for the Concierge Services is R3,700 and standard in the BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M.
4. Intelligent Emergency Call with automatic vehicle location.
Should an airbag be deployed, for instance, the system will transmit an automatic emergency call to the BMW call centre including the precise location of the accident site. Apart from the vehicle’s exact position and direction of travel, details of the vehicle model and all the data gathered by the sensors in the car are relayed to the call centre as well.
The system also allows the driver or front passenger to trigger the emergency call manually in order to help other road users in distress by alerting the call centre. This service is standard on all BMW vehicles.
5. Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) warns of traffic jams as they happen.
Also offered as standard in all BMW models produced from July 2016, the RTTI (Real Time Traffic Information) system uses the mobile phone network and the SIM card built into the vehicle for ultra-fast transmission of very detailed data.
