tonkiton

I have a 545iA. I enjoy driving the car very much. I was looking at the manual this evening and noticed a section on the voice activation. There are also two buttons to activate the voice activation, one on the steering wheel and a second below the iDrive right next to the Menu button. I followed the instructions and attempted to use the voice activation. It appears that this function is not activated leaving us with two useless buttons. Does anyone have an info on the voice activation? Am I missing something or do all the US 5 series omit this function. Also if you have the nav system (which still has not been delivered) does the voice activation included? My car does not have the Nav system but it would seem to me that BMW should have included the voice activation for the other functions described in the manual. What gives? Is it possible to activate the voice activation or do I have to live with two buttons that are non functional?

tdocz

[FONT=Geneva]I think the voice activation is only active if have the NAV. I ordered the NAV for my 545iA and this is what the dealer told me.

ivdes

Voice activation is an option and is not yet available. Since this month, voice activation is available but only in German. For the other languages, you can order only since February 04 a preparation. I know that because I'm still waiting for my 545i because of this option (I ordered it in ... August 03). Voice activation can give orders to Nav, Phone, Entertainment system...

So, I'm afraid that your buttons are useless but I'm not sure for the US deliveries (I'm leaving in Switzerland): ask your dealer...

katmai

If your car has the voice button right next the idrive mouse, the car is pre-wired for Navigation / voice command retrofit. A navigation retrofit kit is available after March 04 from the dealer. E60 cars with production date between ~Nov 03 to Dec 03 have the pre-wired option.

ivdes

Does that mean that there are:
. a pre-wired state (available)
. a preparation (available only since February 04 for other languages than German)
. and once, in ... months (!) THE Voice activation?!?

A little confusing, isn't it?

ISUK

I have voice activation for my phone only.

I have the bluetooth phone option and business navigation system but didn't order voice activation because as far as I understand it shouldn't have been available when my car was built - Oct 03. In spite of this, this feature is there in my car and it recognises English. Bizarre.

that is NOT BMW VR you have...

The voice activiation in your busnav/BT setup is likely the voice activation capabilities of the telephone handset itself and NOT the VR for the car -- 5 (and 7) series VR are extensive, controlling quite a bit when set up - and the iDrive controller has force feedback & a voice button beside the menu button...

What has always irritated me with the bmw is the stupid voice button on the steering wheel -- every other piece of kit is customised to match features (mic not built in to overhead lightpanel if no telehpone option selected, sensors not built in to bumper for parking control, etc... but they insist on leaving the VR button on the wheel for the 3/4 + of vehicles who have no use for it... and on the super-programmable new 5series they don't even let us reprogram it, leaving it is a wasted piece of real estate on the wheel!

ISUK

Sorry to disappoint you but I DO have BMW's voice activation for the bluetooth phone. The voice in the car is a female who is obviously a German speaking English. I have a Nokia 6310Ii phone and his model of phone does not talk back to you.

Please don't try to tell me what I do or don't have in my own car. I am trying to post useful information for other owners here.

me

First off, I said LIKELY - and I can be politely incorrect, unlike your tone...

2nd, my point was, as stated above, it is clearly NOT the BMW full Voice activation that you have -- full VA runs CD, Nav and so on...

THAT is good information also for the readers... unlike your whine.

ISUK

Please don't reduce this board to the infantile flaming that goes on in Roadfly. Information is usually requested on this board from those people who already have their cars and can therefore speak from an informed viewpoint. For the record my last post was not a whine merely a statement of fact that my car does have voice activation fitted and was 10/03 production. I am well aware of the difference between car controlled functions and those of my mobile phone. I posted my first message to let others know that they may already have limited voice activation control. My car does not have the voice control button next to the i-drive menu button, only the steering wheel mounted button.

I can further tell interested parties that the sofware definately recognises German but also appears to recognise English for operating the blutooth phone. The owners handook section covering voice control is very poor and does not provide a list of recognised commands. I therefore cannot tell if it works for either the CD or nav system as I have not been able to find out the correct commands for these functions.