What is BMW's iDrive and why is it, according to many sources, such a pain?

Answer 1

Having worked for BMW for the past 2years, i can answer this one lol.
i-Drive is BMW's multimedia interface system and concept combination. The main reason it was developed was so that the driver can focus more of his attention on to the road. Most people think that i-Drive is just the multimedia system when in fact it is actually an overall concept.
i-Drive breaksdown the drivers controls into primary, secondary and tertiary categories.
Primary functions are things like the steering wheel, indicators, lights etc., functions that the driver must use in order to control the car prooperly in day to day driving.
Secondary functions are things like the climate controls, electric seats, seat heater and main stereo controls. whilst still common controls to use, they are not important when it comes to controlling the vehicle. the functions are also positioned to the side of the primary functions which are straight in front and allow the driver quick and easy operation, the secondary controls require a slight loss of road focus.
Then finally you come to tertiary controls and this is actually your multimedia side of the i-Drive. Tertiary controls are things like the navigation, phone, cd stacker, tv etc. these are functions that are not needed or used day to day but features which require more time to set up and have a higher distraction rating.
So thats the concept side of things.

With the computer side of things, i-Drive computer system consists of the following main features:
Navigation - Climate - Phone - Entertainment - Vehicle Settings and each of the functions has a variety of different sub-functions. In total on a 7series, the number of functions can amount up to around 700!
Why journalists bag the system so much is because they never seem to want to listen to the proper explanation and think they can work it out themselves. Yes it does take sometime to work out, but not long and when you do, it is so simplistic. You can actually contrl most of the i-Drive functions using your voice via the speech system which comes with it. the rest are controlled via the controller, which you should look at as though it was a thumbstick on a playstation contoller.

Personally i think the system is fantastic and i love using it. The funny thing is, if the i-Drive concept is so annoying then why would so many other manufacturers want to copy it, i refer to mercedes (who i now work for) and honda on their legend. Trust me if you learn how to use it properly you will wow so many people with the features and functions of it.

Answer 2

Combination nav/audio/information center. This system has caused more headaches, ulcers and heart condition than any single thing BMW has done in decades (possibly ever). The system is so difficult to use and navigate many people have simply traded or sold their cars and purchased other brands (I s*** you not). It is controled by a single knob that is used like a mini-joystick that you turn, move up, down, left, right, in,out,over,around, inter-dimensional, etc, etc. All while attempting to DRIVE the car through traffic and find an address or turn up the volume on the stereo. It also has a rather large video screen mounted into the center dash that is very distracting. I've heard BMW has made improvements since last year but is still a horror to manipulate.

Answer 3

iDrive has its reward and its risks. iDrive became into created to regulate issues on the automobile, and to have information of the automobile in the palm of your hand. iDrive is a ok devised gadget, despite the fact that it does have dissimilar risks. You do could desire to push extra desirable than 2 or 3 buttons to get to the place you prefer, yet after each and every week or 2 with it, you will locate it confrotable. Plus you may continually set something to be set on a quickly key so which you would be able to get on that concern swifter. yet another huge drawback is it is voice command. I even have very not undemanding time with the voice command. when I say something, eighty% of the time, it gets it incorrect! Now as lots risks there are, there are extra reward. The iDrive gadget has dissimilar cool issues and you literly do have all administration of your automobile on your hand. additionally, the 2009 iDrive gadget is already out on the 2009 BMW 3 sequence and 7 sequence and quickly would be out on the 5 sequence. the hot iDrive gadget is a few distance extra valuable and much less complicated.

Answer 4

one look at understan's answer sums iDrive up complex useless and potentially dangerous [if you must have all that junk in your car] you would be better off with a chauffeur driven limo
also if i want to" wow" someone. it most certainly wont be with a useless gizmo on an automobile. and let's face it most of us are intelligent enough to work the lights, wiper, defroster, and CD/radio/tape player without computer assistance/annoyance , so i guess the target market is for the sort of people who purchase really large speakers....

Answer 5

Most people that are technologically impaired find the i-drive a pain in the @ss, however it is the equivalent to using a computer mouse.

Answer 6

i think its the navigation system/audio system interface in the car
i've actually heard nice things about it...guess it depends on who you ask