Review of new iDrive controller
04-21-2008, 10:00 AM
#1
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York und Wien
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A new iDrive controller will make its appearance this year in both the E90 3er Series refresh as well as the F01 7er Series and it will have adjacent function buttons, ? la Audi and Mercedes-Benz, but with a design that should make BMW's easier to use. Our friends at BimmerFile sent us this spy photo of BMW's new iDrive controller which represents part of the four generation of BMW's cockpit controller system.
The iDrive controller itself is essentially a data entry instrument that controls curser position, data entry, and function selection. It controls:
The iDrive controller itself is essentially a data entry instrument that controls curser position, data entry, and function selection. It controls:
- Satellite navigation,
- Telephone functions,
- Entertainment (radio, iPod, satellite and digital radio),
- Climate control settings
- Vehicle settings and preferences.
04-21-2008, 10:19 AM
#2
Senior Members
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by JSpira' post='565281' date='Apr 21 2008, 01:00 PM
Click here for complete article and images
04-21-2008, 10:34 AM
#3
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York und Wien
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by aqkhan6us' post='565289' date='Apr 21 2008, 02:19 PM
I like that , but it should be have some angle/inclined /slope so that it is visible and reached easily without leaning/bending.
04-21-2008, 04:06 PM
#4
Senior Members
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
My Ride: 2008 535i:
(8/07 Build) Metallic Bronze, Beige NASCA Leather, Ventilated Seats, Sport Pkg, Cold Wxr Pkg, Logic-7 Sound, HUD, Night Vision, PDC, Split Rear Seats, NAV, Premium Pkg, Comfort Access, HD Radio, Sport Auto Trans
Current mods: M-Aero Kit, JB4, Motorcepts 6000k HID Foglamps
Umnitza ICE-Lite 10w LED 6000k AE's
1992 Camaro RS:
Fully Restored w/Custom Interior, 5.0L V8, T-tops, OEM Z28 Foglamps, Inst Cluster, & Spoiler, Custom Sound, Too many engine mods to list
Not to sound negative but it seems like BMW is giving up going its own route and is going along with everyone else and just adding their own twist to it.
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
04-21-2008, 04:12 PM
#5
Contributors
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 827
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2008 535i 6MT
It's an inverted mouse with shortcut buttons for the main menu items. 
How about an untethered bluetooth or wifi touchpad? Bundle an iPhone or similar with software to set car options, nav destinations, etc, and that would be a killer app.
How about an untethered bluetooth or wifi touchpad? Bundle an iPhone or similar with software to set car options, nav destinations, etc, and that would be a killer app.
04-21-2008, 05:34 PM
#6
Senior Members
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Detroit, USA
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: E46 330, E60 550 on order: Carbon Black/Natural Brown, 6MT.
Originally Posted by ObD' post='565470' date='Apr 21 2008, 08:12 PM
It's an inverted mouse with shortcut buttons for the main menu items.
How about an untethered bluetooth or wifi touchpad? Bundle an iPhone or similar with software to set car options, nav destinations, etc, and that would be a killer app.
How about an untethered bluetooth or wifi touchpad? Bundle an iPhone or similar with software to set car options, nav destinations, etc, and that would be a killer app.
04-21-2008, 05:45 PM
#7
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York und Wien
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by pukka' post='565465' date='Apr 21 2008, 08:06 PM
Not to sound negative but it seems like BMW is giving up going its own route and is going along with everyone else and just adding their own twist to it.
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
How's your BMW Assist situation, Herr Pukka?
04-21-2008, 05:53 PM
#8
Super Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA
Posts: 17,310
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
My Ride: G30 M550i
Model Year: 2018
Originally Posted by pukka' post='565465' date='Apr 21 2008, 08:06 PM
Not to sound negative but it seems like BMW is giving up going its own route and is going along with everyone else and just adding their own twist to it.
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
I thought the idea of iDrive was to eliminate excess buttons....and what about voice recognition?
I don't think adding a few interface related buttons means BMW is giving up on the original iDrive concept, it's just refining and improving on it. They're not copying everyone else, everyone else copied BMW and added some refinement of their own.
(Now if only they'd find a place to stash a numeric keypad like M-B has on the S-class...)
04-21-2008, 05:56 PM
#9
Contributors
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The State of Southern NJ!
Posts: 5,972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shortcuts (by button) could make navigating the depths of the menus quicker IF the NAV processor is given a shot of steroids! And, it looks like the extra buttons have the potential of being tactilely easy to use.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
04-21-2008, 06:20 PM
#10
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York und Wien
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Rudy' post='565518' date='Apr 21 2008, 09:53 PM
(Now if only they'd find a place to stash a numeric keypad like M-B has on the S-class...)