BMW

BMW News: i8 wins MPG & AB Awards – Spotify for iPhone for BMW ConnectedDrive

SpotifyBMW was a big award winner at the LA Auto Show and Germany.  Music lovers will be glad that iOS/iPhone Spotify now works with BMW ConnectedDrive and the iDrive controller.

The BMW i8 was named the winner of Autoblog’s 2014 Technology of the Year for its suite of technologies. AutoBlog, editor, Sharon Silke Carty reported, “The BMW i8 has a throaty exhaust note when accelerating. It’s got carbon fiber, and a plug-in hybrid system that uses a small 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and an electric motor. It has through-the-road all-wheel drive, and in Europe it’ll come with laser beams for headlights. All that, and it’s a massive eye catcher.”

Apple iOS 8.1 4 iPhone 5-6+ could fix Bluetooth issue with hands-free devices/cars

iOS81buetoothfixiOS 8 has been plagued with Bluetooth bugs connecting to in-car infotainment systems.The manifest of features for iOS update shows a Bluetooth fix which hopefully will help our readers who have tried everything from complaining to Apple to “nuking” their phones to get Bluetooth work. Almost every car maker was affected including BMW, Audi, GM(Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Buick), Mercedes-Benz, VW, Mazda, Lexus, Fiat, Hyundai and more.

4G LTE coming to 15 car makers, which ones, when?

Qualcomm Connected CarWe at AUTO Connected Car News only cover the connected car space.  We find itvery amusing when standard news agencies cover the topic because they mix up their facts and confuse information. Christiano Amon from Qualcomm  spilled some interesting connected car industry beans with a few surprises and incorrect facts to Fox news.

Qualcomm charges cars while parked or on the E-way

qualcommbmwAfter the Ford Sync development conference at Super Mobility Week, comes Uplinq the Qualcomm developer conference in San Francisco, this week. It’s no surprise that Qualcomm wants to get its tech into cars, Formula E cars with Qualcomm Halo Wireless EV Charging at the FIA Formula E.

In a video, Edward Van Boeheemen inventor of Halo in a speeding BMW i8 is asked questions by Pat Kusbel with Qualcomm’s Automotive Solution, on race track by Formula E driver Nelson Piquet Jr.

BMW new super chargers & free charging @ NRG eVgo through 2015

nrgevestationAt Plug-In 2014, in San Jose, BMW made two announcements free NRG eVgo charging and a new fast charger.

BMW with NRG eVgo, will offer free charging to BMW i3 drivers at participating eVgo Freedom Station sites equipped with DC Combo Fast Charging in California through 2015.

BMW ConnectedDrive outage & connected car app disasters

BMWappreviewsAfter our article, yesterday, explaining that BMW’s web/mobile interface has vulnerabilities that could be hacked, a few hours later BMW’s web portal was reported down. A BMW i3 owner in the UK reported that he has been unable to register for BMW’s ConnectedDrive service since July 19, continually receiving error messages. The outage is due to a system update in the UK and Europe. In the meantime BMW’s apps on Google Play have some of the worst user reviews, we’ve seen.

Connected Car study shows that connected cars like BMW are vulnerable to hacks

bmw connected driveKaspersky Lab and IAB, published their First Annual Connected Cars Study. Vicente Diaz, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab, researched the report about connecting cars to the Internet. However, the auto industry is diligently monitoring threats through its own organizations and most threats require physical access to interior parts of the cars in order to work.

Connected cars with social networks, email, smartphone connectivity, route calculation, in-car apps, can be risky, noted the report.

BMW ConnectedDrive app connected to Blink Network & smart charging

P90152596-the-bmw-smart-charging-app-helps-bmw-i-customers-to-easily-identify-the-best-rates-and-times-to-char-599pxBMW has updated its app with best charging times for the best prices along and also offers locations of public charging stations.

The new BMW Smart Charging App makes it possible for BMWi customers to charge at times with the best rates saving as much as $400 a year. BMW claims it is the “first” automotive manufacturer to offer this automated and fully integrated functionality.