Thanks for the info.
This makes sense, and I'm glad you have the definitive answer about what the reset is actually resetting (throttle mapping not transmission).
Many mistakenly call this a "adaptive transmission reset". This could be because 1) those who perform the reset perceive a change in transmission behavior and/or 2) because the adaptive transmission management feature is documented by BMW and described to learn a driver's style (which anecdotally is the culprit we are trying to "undo" by a reset).
The adaptive transmission management (ATM) function is documented as a BMW technology that "learns the driver's style" and "this pattern is continuously monitored, so that ATM always adapts to the style of the current driver."
"Current driver" implies to me that the ATM function has no long term memory about previous drivers or how you drove the car a few days weeks or months ago. So even if you could reset the driver adaptive values in ATM, I suspect it wouldn't have a noticable effect.
http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...anagement.html.
However, I would guess that the changes enabled by the throttle reset do persist (how long I don't know) and I also suspect that it could indirectly affect transmission behavior (which gears are selected and when), which is what many perceive.
Throttle mapping changes could cause the driver to alter accelerator pedal input. Accelerator pedal and engine data are inputs to the adaptive transmission management function. Change the input values to a subsystem (transmission), and you could alter its behavior or its outputs. If it does and to what extent would require detailed knowledge of ATM and/or empirical data. Or, accept the qualitative descriptions of the effect (I personally would say my car was "more responsive". After the reset I perceived better engine and transmission response, and better acceleration at highway speeds). Or I could be imagining the improvement - that's a possibility too!
At some point the throttle and transmission algorithms adapt and revert to something close the prior state before the reset. How long? days? weeks? If I'm convinced this is having a beneficial effect, then it'd be time to perform a throttle reset again.