UUronL

Let's be honest, the gripes the press has with the interface isn't the video screen - it's the relative lack of direct button input for what they deem simple tasks. Many of the competing systems have more (and in my opinion redundant) buttons, which points to a fundamentally different view of these types of human interfaces. With that said, nearly all of these competing manufacturers are all members of the MOST Cooperative, which means the same universal standard lies underneath each brand's unique interface:

http://www.mostnet.de/index.php



The software issues are also often erroneously attributed to iDrive, when in fact iDrive is just our interface to a small subset of the underlying systems that are getting the code updates. You could tear the entire screen and knob out and still need the code for improving throttle response, getting rid of the transmission slam, getting back the angel eyes, fixing window behavior, etc...

BangleBox_530d

BMW do have a prototype iDrive replacement panel, due to concerns about those that won't buy an E60 with it.

I think iDrive is great. A pity the moron media people decide they hate it because they couldn't understand it within 5 seconds of using it (with their eyes closed). If my children can work it out within a minutes, how hard can it be!

UUronL

BMW do have a prototype iDrive replacement panel, due to concerns about those that won't buy an E60 with it.

I think iDrive is great. A pity the moron media people decide they hate it because they couldn't understand it within 5 seconds of using it (with their eyes closed). If my children can work it out within a minutes, how hard can it be!
[/quote]

Well, I guess the E90 will be the sales test bed that will either support such a move or demonstrate that having the choice isn't important. Even that data will be skewed for the purposes of judging the importance of iDrive to the buyer since it is coupled with the Nav option on the 3.

teriyaki88

I Drive is not the problem. Its the software in the car.

FikseGTS

heh.... just because a car has a knob in the center console doean't mean anything..... you really think MB is going to run iDrive? it will be TOTALLY different.... aside from a simple knob....

Red

In my vast experience with I-drive...on several test drives...:-)

The issue isn't the input (I-drive itself). The two fundamental issues are software glitches and speed of operation.


I've had a lot of experience in flying new "computer driven" aircraft and we experienced the same type of computer software glitches. With operator feedback and company attention they do get better. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is access and control to so many features and the ability to customize your entire driving experience.

As for speed, waiting on an input acknowledgment while driving (at high rates of speed and looking at the screen) is subjectively much more difficult than waiting on a webpage to load on your PC at your desk for example.

BMW could execute a quantum leap in user satisfaction by simply increasing processing speed or bus acces or whatever to make I-drive inputs and responses faster. With continued attention the SW glitches will improve over time.

My favorite Patton quote: "An average plan executed with vigor today is far superior to a perfect plan executed with mediocrity next month."

spinedoc

i-drive is the future. Eventually it will do more than it does now but BMW needs to figure out the software glitches. I am a little disappointed in the speed of the processor running the show. I believe it could be much faster for the same costs since these things are prone to obsolescence. Shortly, we should be able to access the internet, pay bills, make dinner reservations, or whatever using i-Drive as the computer "mouse" while sitting in traffic all through satlink.

Simple1

the main problem with the freaking i-drive and why it has so many problems is because guess what it's runs microsoft software! now if only BMW would contact a someone esle let's say apple to make them a more visually appealing and more stable system i'm sure the number of software glitches would come down! Come on BMW people have been whinning about this forever switch already to OS X, i mean you already trying the iPod hookup thing why not go for the whole sha-bang!

joebel

I suspect most of us here own vehicles with iDrive which makes us somewhat biased. Having lived with iDrive for the past 2 1/2 years, I agree it's the way to go. But let's not kid ourselves, there's a lot of room for improvement. A few extra buttons for the top 5 most frequently used functions would go a long way to alleviating problems. For example, why do I (in my current '02 745i) have to go to iDrive to flip between AM and FM? Doesn't make sense. Yes, I know about the voice command but it's soooooo slow.
Overall, good concept but lot's of room for improvement. Would I want my next car to have iDrive? Wouldn't get one without it!!!

rodneyremington

The current E60 allows you to switch from AM to FM or whatever via the steering wheel programmable buttons.