Photo: original image by autoevolution
When BMW first launched iDrive back in 2001, on the E65 7 Series, everyone complained about it. And we do mean everyone, even voices inside the Munich headquarters having a couple of bad words to say about it (not on official channels, of course). Time passed and the Germans learned from their mistakes, turning around the infotainment system and making it one of the best available on the market today.
It’s actually the best in at least two countries, according to a recent study done by GfK. The system was ranked highest in Germany and Italy for user experience, in a recent test, according to Automotive News Europe.
Tim Bosenick, the man in charge of the tests conducted showed that BMW overtook its traditional rivals in this regard, being ranked higher than Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel in Germany and above Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes in Italy.
The tests used a variety of factors to compare the systems, including how easy it is to use the HMI system, how it looks and feels and, most important, whether the user is inspired to do more with it. The results were then compared to the ones obtained by Apple’s iPhone.
Of course, the smartphone won, posting an average score of 5 out of 6 possible, while BMW’s iDrive managed 4.3. The study doesn’t show it or say it clearly but we do have a hunch it was done just to see how Apple’s recently announced CarPlay will fair against the best competitors on the market.
Other manufacturers scored higher than BMW in different countries, revealing that the cultural environment plays an important role as well. In the US, for example, Nissan claimed the number 1 spot, followed by Honda, Audi, Ford, Chevrolet and BMW. In Japan, by contrast, Lexus won with Toyota, Nissan and Honda right behind
Tim Bosenick, the man in charge of the tests conducted showed that BMW overtook its traditional rivals in this regard, being ranked higher than Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel in Germany and above Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes in Italy.
The tests used a variety of factors to compare the systems, including how easy it is to use the HMI system, how it looks and feels and, most important, whether the user is inspired to do more with it. The results were then compared to the ones obtained by Apple’s iPhone.
Of course, the smartphone won, posting an average score of 5 out of 6 possible, while BMW’s iDrive managed 4.3. The study doesn’t show it or say it clearly but we do have a hunch it was done just to see how Apple’s recently announced CarPlay will fair against the best competitors on the market.
Other manufacturers scored higher than BMW in different countries, revealing that the cultural environment plays an important role as well. In the US, for example, Nissan claimed the number 1 spot, followed by Honda, Audi, Ford, Chevrolet and BMW. In Japan, by contrast, Lexus won with Toyota, Nissan and Honda right behind
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