BMW puts iPod displays in front of drivers with new iPod Out interface
BMW has become the first car manufacturer to take advantage of the iPod Out display feature introduced in iOS4 for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Using this, drivers of future BMW and Mini cars will be able to see their iPod display on the vehicles' information monitors, and operate the players using the car's infotainment controls.
As well as simply playing tracks and skipping between them, drivers will be able to access iPod/iPhone features such as custom playlist Genius through the display and control system, via an integrated navigation menu.
BMW says that the interface will be available as part of the ConnectedDrive system, and also in a new package called Mini Connected for the latest Mini models.
It adds that 'Future vehicles equipped with this technology will be able to adapt more quickly to the software lifecycles of iPod touch and iPhone.'
The new system was jointly developed by BMW's R&D Centre in Munich and its Group Technology Office in Palo Alto, California, and if you'd like to see the chaps from BMW in Silicon Valley demonstrating what it can do, click here for the video.
Comments
OK, if you say so. Enjoy your bigger, newer Ultimate Driving Machine...
lets see, with the icelink I can choose a playlist, or choose albums, artist,genre, etc. and I see everything on my car's navi screen. What other features do I need? Oh no video though...
Ok, my problem is that I sold that car and upgraded to a bigger, newer BMW with the standard fitment but what a disappointment to find out that all the nice icelink features were not available. Even the name of the song/artist is not displayed! And this standard fitment costs about 3 times as much as icelink!
At least now BMW has finally caught up!
Yes, axman, but that's an aftermarket solution, not a standard fitment, and doesn't access the extended iPod features.
And SkyExplorer, I am sure BMW is working on a solution to connect everything else in the world.
What about people that do not have an ipod/iphone?
Eh? I could already do this with Icelink (a 3rd party ipod adapter) since 2004 already!