[bloozemanAZ]

I just got back from CES and although I ignored all of the automotive booths, demos, etc. as not my job this is interesting. Not mentioned in the article is iD9 is based on the Android Auto system (not AA on a phone) which when originally announced made sense.

The sense being all previous iD systems are built on a proprietary OS (BSD from what I understand at the base) and 10X harder to maintain and bring new features to. Android Auto system is being adopted by many of the major players in the industry and making the way towards new Infotainment systems across them all. That said not sure I'm going to try and play a video game ever within a car. 🤣

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4...ures-ces-tech/

[hinckley]

iD9 is based on Android Automotive OS (as you say, no relation to the Android Aiuto phone mirroring interface). But from a driving/car control and infotainment UI perspective, iD9 and Linux-based iD8.5 are pretty much identical. And both iD9 and iD8.5 have very few meaningful changes compared to iD8. From the driver's seat, there's very little difference in these three versions of iDrive.

[snareman]

Per the article...
BMW's iDrive 9 Lets You Play Video Games with a PlayStation Controller

Because we didn't have enough distracted driving...

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by hinckley

iD9 is based on Android Automotive OS (as you say, no relation to the Android Aiuto phone mirroring interface). But from a driving/car control and infotainment UI perspective, iD9 and Linux-based iD8.5 are pretty much identical. And both iD9 and iD8.5 have very few meaningful changes compared to iD8. From the driver's seat, there's very little difference in these three versions of iDrive.

Thanks for the info as I wasn't aware that iD8 moved to Linux. Just for clarity though you called out iD8.5. I'm assuming that iD8 is also based on Linux or the OTA to iD8.5 would be a heavy lift. Not impossible as the latest head units support 8.5 so same hardware architecture.

I'm just curious as the wife's LCI X5 is still on iD8 as she wants widgets vs the new UI layout on 8.5. The dealer asked me if I wanted 8.5 loaded when I picked up the X5 in mid August but I said "no thanks". I declined the OTA back in November when it wash pushed to the car.

As for Android Auto OS the primary difference between it and a Linux based 8.5 is a larger ecosystem of integration/plug-ins that will be easier for BMW to implement down the road than a still custom based Linux OS. Either way to your point both are light years ahead of the legacy iD systems.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

As for Android Auto OS the primary difference between it and a Linux based 8.5 is a larger ecosystem of integration/plug-ins that will be easier for BMW to implement down the road than a still custom based Linux OS. Either way to your point both are light years ahead of the legacy iD systems.

My eyes glaze over with much of this add-in gibberish. I just want to have fun driving my car. I'm quite happy with CarPlay and Waze. I'm sure there'll be other such things in the future that will interest me, but I doubt any of them with include a gaming controller.

fwiw, I am a techy nerd, but despise tech for tech's sake. And from a driver's perspective, I think iD8, 8.5 and 9 are all a step backward from iD7, however I can't take my eyes off the beautiful screen (especially the M-specific screen elements), so I'm all in! Form over function, I know.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by hinckley

My eyes glaze over with much of this gibberish. I just want to have fun driving my car. I'm quite happy with CarPlay and Waze. I'm sure there'll be other such things in the future that will interest me, but I doubt any of them with include a gaming controller.

Sorry for the gibberish but tech, operating systems, etc. are my life. Right there with you on I just want a decent Infotainment system as although it is key to any car in the modern age the real thrill is the driving experience. 👍

As snareman already called out and my original post who the hell needs a gaming controller in a car? Guess they will work in the various series moving forward with screens in the back for kids to play games. But for us in the driver seat it's the thrill of the drive.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

Sorry for the gibberish but tech, operating systems, etc. are my life. Right there with you on I just want a decent Infotainment system as although it is key to any car in the modern age the real thrill is the driving experience. ��

As snareman already called out and my original post who the hell needs a gaming controller in a car? Guess they will work in the various series moving forward with screens in the back for kids to play games. But for us in the driver seat it's the thrill of the drive.

My gibberish comment had to do with the concept of add-ins, not OSes.

When I hear talk of add-ins, I think of car companies trying to pull off what GM is trying - namely removing CP and AA to take full control of driver UI options. If I was in the market for a GM product, the removal of CP would be a deal-breaker for me. And I think BMW (and others) may be contemplating a similar move by changing their platforms in order to accommodate 3rd party add-ins that they control and eliminating the Apple and Android smartphone ecosystems.

[VP007]

Unfortunately I can see BMW moving to more subscription based charging for options and apps in the future.

Watching movies and playing games in the car is simply to hide the fact that EV charging takes too long and is a pain.

CarPlay and Android Auto could be amended to allow for video content/games in the cars screen, but BMW will not allow it as they want to make their money selling apps through Idrive 9.

If you want similar features to Idrive 9 on Idrive7, just buy an android box and plug it into your USB (something like the BMW CarPlay MMB box).