Photo: nokia
Staying true to its desire to implement as many apps as possible within their vehicles, BMW presented a new cooperation at this year’s Consumer Electronic Show, this time, joining forces with Nokia. It’s navigation subsidiary, HERE, is now capable of synchronizing travel information with the car’s on-board system.
As a previous user of HERE maps, I have to say that this is probably the best news regarding navigation systems inside BMWs since they were invented. Of course, this and the over-the-air updates we told you about earlier.
The thing is, Nokia’s product works better than anything else I tried and can be used without a connection to the internet, just via GPS with amazing accuracy.
Part of a cloud-based connectivity system for the i3 and other cars in the future, this new integration means that the app can synchronize devices like smartphones and tables with the vehicle.
Destinations entered in the smartphone using the HERE Companion App are simultaneously imported to the car, where they can be used by the navigation system to compute a route or to be save as favorites.
Therefore, if you don’t trust your car’s system to be capable of choosing the best route for you, you can simply use this app to get where you want to in a timely fashion.
For example, the research app presented here uses the cloud for ‘over-the-air’ data updating. That means the BMW i3’s Nokia Here navigation maps can be updated without having to access external media.
HERE is also embedded in the navigation system, appearing as a specific menu option in the multimedia menu. Users can click on it to share destination addresses. For example, destinations that have been saved in the navigation system as favourites can be mailed or texted to business contacts, or the estimated time of arrival for a given journey can be mailed or texted to family members or friends.
The thing is, Nokia’s product works better than anything else I tried and can be used without a connection to the internet, just via GPS with amazing accuracy.
Part of a cloud-based connectivity system for the i3 and other cars in the future, this new integration means that the app can synchronize devices like smartphones and tables with the vehicle.
Destinations entered in the smartphone using the HERE Companion App are simultaneously imported to the car, where they can be used by the navigation system to compute a route or to be save as favorites.
Therefore, if you don’t trust your car’s system to be capable of choosing the best route for you, you can simply use this app to get where you want to in a timely fashion.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg
BMW now has a cloud system that allows its users to synchonize various devices with the on-board computer. At the moment, it’s in its initial stages but soon enough it will be rolled out as a functional part of the BMW services offered to end users.For example, the research app presented here uses the cloud for ‘over-the-air’ data updating. That means the BMW i3’s Nokia Here navigation maps can be updated without having to access external media.
HERE is also embedded in the navigation system, appearing as a specific menu option in the multimedia menu. Users can click on it to share destination addresses. For example, destinations that have been saved in the navigation system as favourites can be mailed or texted to business contacts, or the estimated time of arrival for a given journey can be mailed or texted to family members or friends.
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