The industry has been embracing Google’s Android Automotive OS, and last week BMW revealed it would use the technology in some of its upcoming automobiles. Beginning in March 2023, the company intends to create the BMW Operating System 8 infotainment system for some car types utilizing Android Automotive while continuing to support the present Linux-based version for other vehicle models.
It involves using a different technology strategy, according to Stephan Durach, the chief developer for the digital driving experience at BMW Group. Depending on how the individual solution appears, “We are integrating the best features of all worlds,” said Durach. “That might be our own in-house inventions, Open Source or commercial software solutions.”
A complete auto operating system, Android Automotive may be integrated into instrument clusters and entertainment systems. Not to be confused with Google’s phone-to-dash connection technology, Android Auto, which is a competitor to Apple’s CarPlay.
The method for two software platforms can change depending on what BMW series it’s operating on, according to Durach, who ensures that consumers always have a unique, tailored digital experience in their vehicle. However, the business did not disclose any additional information. Additionally, the new OS will support over-the-air software updates, a vital feature that recently allowed the company to ship customers’ vehicles without amenities like Apple CarPlay owing to supply chain concerns.
When it comes to implementing new connectivity technology, BMW typically gets there first. One of the first automakers to implement wireless Apple CarPlay, it was also one of the first to adopt Apple’s phone-as-key technology, which enables you to start your car without a fob. However, given that the majority of BMW owners were discovered to be iPhone users, BMW was slow to implement Android Auto. But with Android Automotive, BMW is entering a field that is still mostly untapped and is home to brands like Polestar, some Volvo models, the GMC Hummer EV, Honda, and potential Ford and Lincoln products.
Google wants to bring its software into numerous cars on a broad market via Android Automotive. And with BMW on board, the time for Apple’s newest CarPlay to catch up is running out. But perhaps BMW won’t try to make it a membership service once more if it decides to support Apple’s most recent integrations in the future.
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In my BMW, can I use Android Auto?
Every BMW vehicle with a Live Cockpit Plus or Professional that runs on Operating System 7 is said to support Android Auto, according to BMW (iDrive 7). According to what we’ve observed online, the Android Auto feature is only present in software versions that begin with 07/2020. BMWs with the iDrive 7 system listed below are qualified for the update:
- Professional Live Cockpit for 2019+ 3 Series
- Future 5 Series
- Future 7 Series
- A+ 8 Series 2019
- Professional 2020+ X3 with Live Cockpit
- Professional 2020+ X4 with Live Cockpit
- 2019+ X5
- 2020+ X6
- 2019+ X7
- 2019+ Z4
The BMW 5 Series, BMW 6 Series, BMW X3 and BMW X4 models, however, may only be upgraded by the dealership using a Software Update.
Is Android Auto a Native iDrive Option for BMW?
Right currently, 47 different automobile brands offer Android Auto functionality. Earlier, BMW didn’t even have any intentions of joining them, but in December 2019, the carmaker announced its plans to integrate Android Auto into its most recent generation of BMW cars. In July 2020, the first vehicles equipped with Android Auto will be on sale. Only 2019 and 2020 BMW vehicles equipped with the most recent iDrive 7.0 will have this feature. Read our blog post about what Android Auto is and how it functions to find out more about the original software.
If you’re solely interested in authentic BMW solutions, Bluetooth, the BMW Connected app, and a select few others are the only ways to link an Android device with a BMW. Because these methods heavily depend on your phone and car model, connectivity problems and bugs are unavoidable.
If you truly want Android Auto in your BMW, you can run the software on your smartphone and mirror it onto the iDrive screen without requiring any aftermarket hardware improvements.
Apple CarPlay is available on the BMW X1 and X2, but not Android Auto.
It’s understandable why many car customers now anticipate Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality in new vehicles; however, BMW did not previously provide both of these functions. Since a few years ago, the premium automaker has supplied Apple CarPlay, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it thought it was time to offer Android Auto to BMW owners as well.
Two BMW models still lack Android Auto connectivity, despite the fact that the majority of them now feature both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. They are the subcompact crossover SUVs BMW X1 and X2. They are connected, which is one of the reasons why Android Auto isn’t currently available.
Instead than using the USB cord that is typically required to use Android Auto, BMW is use a wireless version of the technology. The X1 and X2 don’t have the high-tech technology that is required for this, despite the fact that most Bimmers have.
Some BMW models come without Android Auto and CarPlay; an update will add them.
BMW has started delivering some models to customers without the normal Android Auto and CarPlay capability due to the ongoing chip scarcity.
Nearly all BMW models come with full support for Android Auto beginning in 2019 and growing in 2020. However, some buyers have discovered, as reported by Automotive News Europe, that their recently purchased BMW does not support Android Auto or CarPlay as planned.
The persistent chip scarcity, which has impacted almost every sector of the economy that uses electronics, is to blame for the missing functionality, according to a statement from BMW. BMW switched suppliers and started utilizing a chip that does not yet have the proper software for Android Auto or CarPlay use in order to deliver the cars to their destinations on time.
Fortunately, this is only a short-term problem for the owners of the affected vehicles because, according to BMW, an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade bringing complete Android Auto and CarPlay capabilities will be delivered to these cars “by the end of June at the latest.”
The production code for your new BMW should contain the letters “6P1” if it is affected. In a broader sense, the impacted models were produced in the first four months of this year and, based to internet forum posts, have been transported to the United States, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are absent from some recent BMW models.
Get a new BMW? At least initially, it might not support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Some new BMW cars are being sold without compatibility for Apple and Google’s automotive services, claims Automotive News Europe (via 9to5Google).
The persistent chip scarcity that has hit the automotive industry particularly hard over the past year or two, according to BMW, is the root of the problem, the company confirmed to the publication. BMW had to move to a different chip since it couldn’t find the one it needed for its car, and that chip doesn’t allow CarPlay or Android Auto.
The good news is that with a software update, the capability will finally be made available. The business stated that the update would arrive “by the end of June at the latest.”
It seems that BMW cars produced during the first quarter of 2022 were impacted. Look for the string “6P1” in the production code to see if your automobile has this problem. According to forum entries, affected devices were delivered to a variety of nations, including the United States and Europe.
BMW was by no means the only automaker to ship cars without specific features in order to deliver them on schedule. Due to a chip shortage, Tesla, for instance, removed a redundant steering component from its vehicles, and Ford and Volvo sent some models without specific safety measures. It’s not even the first time BMW has done it: last year, due to a chip shortage, the company supplied some models without touchscreen capabilities.
Is BMW going to offer Android Auto?
With Android Auto, BMW makes it possible to use your Android device wirelessly and conveniently. However, you can use the wireless charging bay or a USB cable to charge your smartphone.
How can my vintage BMW install Android Auto?
This article explains how to add CarPlay and Android Auto to this OEM hardware without having to alter the display, as well as all of the aforementioned systems (using our IMI-1000 retrofit kit). In addition, we discuss OEM upgrade alternatives like iD6 upgrades, which come with OEM CarPlay pre-installed on the head unit.
The NBT-based systems were replaced in 2015 by the NBTevo iD4, iD5, and iD6 systems. An NBT display cannot be connected directly to an NBTevo head unit without a voltage converter since the display voltage in NBTevo systems is lower. We can provide a special voltage converter and code the head unit to work with the older NBT iDrive display if you want to update to an iD6 head unit while keeping your 8.8in Pro Navigation display.
Your iDrive version will primarily define the best option to integrate CarPlay and/or Android Auto when thinking about a retrofit for those two systems.
No matter what version of iDrive you have, you must choose our IMI-1000 retrofit kit if you have an Android phone and wish to retrofit Android Auto. BMW themselves do not support OEM Android Auto. Installing the IMI-1000 will provide your BMW android auto functionality. All BMW NBT, NBT EVO iD4, iD5, and iD6 models from 2012 to 2019 are supported by the IMI-1000.
Can an older BMW install Android Auto?
You must first choose the finest BMW CarPlay retrofit option for you. CarPlay is fully supported by the iDrive system in many vehicles made after 2016, even if it hasn’t been turned on. If that applies to you, getting a professional to unlock the built-in BMW Apple CarPlay option is one approach to activate Apple CarPlay in your BMW.
There are BMW CarPlay aftermarket options that can get you up and running if that isn’t an option—either because your BMW is a little older or doesn’t have a suitable iDrive system.
The native BMW Apple CarPlay option and aftermarket BMW CarPlay retrofits differ significantly in this regard. Android Auto is not available in older BMW CarPlay-compatible automobiles, so if you use a Samsung phone or another Android device, you are out of luck.
Additionally, aftermarket alternatives may provide extra freedom. The manufacturer CarPlay interface in older vehicles can only use a portion of the screen, but all BMW models come with full-screen mode in CarPlay MMI Prime. Unlike BimmerTech’s retrofit, which enables both wireless connection and connection via a USB cable, which can be more dependable and less draining on the battery, the OEM alternative forces you to rely solely on a wireless connection with your phone.
The BMW CarPlay upgrade from BimmerTech utilises the dashboard display already in your car and is simple to use with the iDrive controller, unlike many alternatives on the market. However, the native BMW iDrive CarPlay option may be easier to use for somebody who frequently shifts between using CarPlay and other iDrive functions.
Will the BMW X3 feature Android Auto in 2022?
Engage the new, larger iDrive screen, which is up to 12.3″ across and runs the standard iDrive 7.0 Operating System. The new BMW X3 is given digital life by BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant, cloud-based navigation, remote software updates, and complete Apple CarPlayTM and Android AutoTM compatibility.