BMW, which claims to have been the first carmaker to offer built-in satellite navigation in its cars, and was certainly the first to install a computer-style controller - the infamous iDrive - on the centre console of its cars, has now taken the whole concept several steps further with the latest version of what is now called ConnectedDrive, already available on the Chinese market (and there's a reason for that) in the 7 Series and due in South Africa late in 2013 or early in 2014.
To start with the hardware: the movement of the iDrive controller has been further simplified (an ongoing theme since the original was panned as too complex in operation) and it now has a touchpad, 45mm in diameter, on the top of the rotary controller.
This will serve two functions: first, it recognises handwriting, so you can simply write lettering on the top of the controller with your fingertip and it will read what you have written back to you.
(That’s why the touchpad was rolled out first on the Chinese market, as the thousands of characters in the mandarin alphabet are based on firmly structured calligraphy that lends itself to touchpad recognition.)
The iDrive Touch also allows navigation inside the route map shown in the display, as well as zooming in using the two-finger pinch gesture already familiar from many laptops and smartphones..
Then, in mid-2013, when the availability of the iDrive Touch is extended to western markets, a function for surfing the internet will be added, which will allow the cursor to be controlled in exactly the same way as on most laptops and tablets.
Then just push down on the controller to 'click'.
3D NAVIGATION
The liquid-crystal display screen now has a 1.3 GHz processor and dedicated 3D graphics chip, enabling smooth scrolling and new, layered graphics, which appear on a black background for clarity and legibility.
Individual menus are laid out in virtual, three-dimensional spaces and calculation is performed in real time. When sub-menus are selected, they appear from the right, while the corresponding top menus fade into the background on the left, so that the physical feedback under your fingertips is directly confirmed on the screen.
The split-screen set-up also has new display functions for the navigation mode. While the driver is still entering the destination, first the country, then the city and finally the actual location will appear in the map view - so you can zoom by pinching and check that you've got the right destination.
Then there's High Guiding; when you get to within 150 metres of the next instruction point (or 300m out in the country) the familiar guiding function using arrows in the split screen is supplemented by detailed navigation information in the trip data computer screen between the main instruments, the central information display and the head-up display.
All of this in addition to the voice prompt, of course.
And as you get closer, the display gradually shifts from a map view to an overhead pictorial view of the traffic situation, so that you can visually check that you're in the correct lane.
The satnav mode also has an extended toolbar that allows you to customise your map without having to exit from the map view, such as calling up points of interest, weather information or change from map view to bird's eye view.
You can turn the controller to alter the map scale or tilted it to move the section of map in the display, even in a diagonal direction - or call up special functions directly from the map. Select a point on the map and a pie menu will open up in front of the map.
Just push down on the controller to show points of interest, view details for them, start navigation to them, change the map view or display the current location or destination.
And if the point of interest file includes a website or e-mail address, you can click on it to visit the their web page or send them an email.
MOBILE OFFICE
You can now have two cellphones connected to the car at the same time, with the contact details combined into a joint contact list for phone calls and emails.
The calendar from an integrated smartphone is now displayed in same layout in popular email programs, while the daily view and calendar navigation have also been simplified.
IN-CAR HOTSPOT
This is an inspired use of older hardware with the latest technology: before Bluetooth, most luxury cars had a built-in base for a cellphone, which connected the phone to the car's audio system.
This base now houses a Car Hotspot - and yes, BMW says it can be used on older models with a little tweaking - that makes the whole car a Wi-Fi reception area, simply by installing the appropriate 4G or LTE SIM card.
And in places where 4G isn't yet available, such as Australia and South Africa, the system reverts automatically to 3G.
Why not have it built in to the car? That's because the hotspot also has its own aerial and battery, so you can use it for up to about half an hour outside the car - or plug it into a USB port and use it all day!
“KITT, TAKE A MESSAGE”
The speech recognition software for the satnav now includes a dictation function that transcribes your words into text, reasds it back to you, and can then send it by SMS or e-mail. It also has a voice memo function for making recordings up to two minutes long, which can then either be sent in an email or archived, then downloaded on to a USB memory stick to take with you.
So far the system recognises six languages, and understands punctuation such as “new line”, so that the message will look neat (and make sense!) when it's printed out by the recipient.
The speech recognition technology is supplied by a company called Nuance, and uses a remote server.
That means it has virtually no limit to its vocabulary and can understand millions of words without clogging up any memory space or computing power in the car.
This improved level of speech recognition allows you to phrase commands or questions in whole sentences (only in German or English so far) and call up multiple functions with a single command - or even enter a navigation destination with just one statement.
All you have to do to phone somebody, for instance, is to say: “Connect me with John Smith”, and the system will recognise not only that you want to make a call but also the name of the person you want to speak to.
To enter a satnav destination, simply say “Navigate to…” and the address.
Or say the name of the person and their e-mail adress, to begin composing an e-mail or SMS.
The speech recognition system can also be used to tune the radio and can even recognise questions, such as “How do I adjust the sound settings?” or “Are there any messages?”.
THIRD-PARTY APPS
BMW was the first carmaker to enable application-based integration of the Apple iPhone into cars; now it's possible to use apps from other sources as well, so that any function you can download on to your smartphone or tablet could also theoretically be used in your car.
Thus BMW owners can continue to use their preferred service providers and the apps they're familiar with, in their cars.
To make sure these apps will actually work in your car, BMW has actually produced a software development kit, containing guidelines, program framework and specific tools, such as a simulation of the iDrive control logic, to help software providers develop compatible versions of their apps.
Once the IT boffins at BMW have checked them out, the apps are certified for BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce, and made available for download to your smartphone - and then they can be operated using the iDrive and steering-wheel controls of your car.
And it's not restricted to Apple users. From July 2013, owners of smartphones powered by Android will also be able to use application-based functions, in collaboration with Samsung to begin with, and later with other makers of Android-powered phones.