As a luxury car maker, BMW places heavy emphasis on the comfort technologies in its cars. Since the fifties, BMW engineers have worked to make driving each new BMW model more comfortable and an easier experience than before. Watch the evolution of comfort technologies in BMW automobiles in the video inside.

Beginning today, drivers of BMW models equipped with BMW Apps and MINI drivers with MINI Connected can enjoy a fully-integrated Stitcher SmartRadio™ app experience in the vehicle. Stitcher SmartRadio is the mobile leader in on-demand news, entertainment, sports and talk radio, delivering over 10,000 radio shows and live stations to customers around the globe.

BMW and MINI drivers can create a personal talk radio station experience with fresh, up-to-the-minute episodes of news, entertainment, sports, talk and live radio programs streamed directly to the vehicle’s infotainment system via the Stitcher SmartRadio App on the iPhone.

In addition to creating stations that run the programs users already know and enjoy, a special Smart Station feature helps users discover new content. This feature recommends other programs listeners may enjoy based on … CONTINUED

The My BMW Remote app is now available for smartphones running the Android operating system, too. The application can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store (Android Market), and offers all the same functionalities as the iPhone version first brought out in autumn 2010.

My BMW Remote allows users to operate all manner of functions in their BMW from outside the vehicle, without even having to be nearby:

“Remote Door Lock & Unlock” allows the car to be locked and unlocked from a smartphone.
“Climate Control” makes it possible to control the interior temperature by adjusting the auxiliary ventilation and heating settings, and programming the systems by timer.
With “Horn Blow” for sounding the horn and … CONTINUED

BMW has released an update to the BMW Connected app for iPhones and vehicles that support BMW Apps.

This is a run down the new changes:

ECO PRO Analyser (only in conjunction with the new Professional generation of navigation systems, available in selected models from July 2012):
This driving style analyser evaluates the efficiency of acceleration, braking, and gear shifting for the maximum range. Driving style efficiency is enhanced in addition with helpful ECO tips

Wiki Local (now also available outside of the vehicle):
Wiki Local is the ideal travelling companion. Browse through Wikipedia articles about the places and sights near you. You can even have them read out to you. Now you can use your iPhone on the road as well to view the matches and your favourites … CONTINUED

See the many recently announced BMW ConnectedDrive features in action. The videos below are from an online press conference, showing and explaining the new BMW Navigation Professional, iDrive Touch, Voice Dictation, LTE Wifi and 3rd Party Smartphone Apps. Also see the links directly inside for more information on each.

BMW Navigation Pro video

idrive touchpad

With the official announcement from BMW of the New Navigation Professional and iDrive/ConnectedDrive, many of you have inquired when the technology (both a software and hardware [cpu, graphics processor, hard drive] upgrade) would be implemented on the various models.

Below is the scheduled rollout for the new navigation and iDrive. These dates do not apply to the new iDrive Touch system, which will have a separate rollout and application schedule.

[b]]July 2012 Production:[/b]

3 Series touring and Activehybrid 3 (F31/F30h)
5 Series, 5 Series GT, 5 Series LWB (F10/F11/F07/F18)
M5 (F10M)
7 Series (F01)
M6 Coupe and Convertible (F12/F13M)

[b]November 2012 Production:[/b]

3 Series Sedan (F30)

[b]March 2013 Production:[/b]

1 Series Hatchback (F20/F21)
6 Series Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe (F12/F13/F06)

[b]April 2013 Production:[/b]

X3 (F25)

For those curious, the list of hardware upgrades (vs. the current) … CONTINUED

BMW ConnectedDrive has been setting the pace in the field of automotive connectivity for many years now, and is renowned for forward-looking in-car concepts and technologies that maximise customer benefit. The new functions mark another milestone in the BMW ConnectedDrive success story and once again demonstrate how the BMW Group is striving to retain its status as the leading innovator in this area.

Just a bit over 15 months after announcing their joint venture (BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification (BPCE)) on developing hybrid and electric vehicle technologies, BMW and Citroen are in talks to break up the partnership, reports Bloomberg News.

BMW spokeswoman Micaela Sandstede told Bloomberg News that BMW is looking to take over the operations of the BMW Peugeot Citroen Electrification partnership.

“Whether that means the joint venture’s employees move to BMW is undecided,” she said. “We are still in discussions with PSA over the dismantling of the joint venture.”

The joint venture BPCE currently includes an R&D center in Munich and a manufacturing facility in Mulhouse, France, which employs 250 workers who are supposed to electrify around 10,000 vehicles starting from 2015.

Nuance Communications Inc. today announced that BMW will be making Dragon Drive! Messaging available in the new 2012 BMW 7 Series, BMW 3 Series Touring and BMW 3 Series ActiveHybrid vehicles, with additional models to follow. Dragon Drive! Messaging is a new BMW ConnectedDrive feature as part of the latest generation of BMW Navigation system Professional. Unveiled in May, Dragon Drive! Messaging is Nuance’s new automotive-grade connected car service that lets people speak emails and text messages.

The 2012 BMW 7 Series will be the first car ever to feature Dragon Drive! Messaging, hitting the market in July 2012, with the BMW 3 Series Touring and BMW 3 Series ActiveHybrid following later this year. Dragon Drive! Messaging delivers a fully-integrated mobile assistant messaging experience that lets drivers … CONTINUED