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Originally Posted by Brian-bmw
I am in the other camp, but it helps to have some history...
There are some very impressive things to consider about our nav systems. First, did you know that BMW introduced this system in 1995. That was the MKI system, and it is the same basic architecture that you have today in the X3.
Name any other auto manufacturer with navigation in 1995. In fact, there were only one or two aftermarket nav systems available in 1995. BMW caught the auto industry on its heels big time with navigation. It was many years before any other auto maker introduced a comparable system. Did you know that Audi did not put a color navigation system into the A8 until the 2004 model year? It took Audi 9 years to catch up to BMW
Second, the basic architecture of the MKI is still quite viable today with the MKIV system. BMW's original nav architecture is nearly 12 years old, yet it is still as capable (and better in many ways), than other systems on the market. Very few technologies last 12 years. I have used Honda, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes Benz systems, and the BMW MKIV system competes well with those.
If I could pick and choose, I would take the way-point and route management available on an Alpine aftermarket unit, the touchscreen address entry of the Honda system, the joystick control of Mercedes Benz's old ML series, and BMW's graphics presentation (paired with Honda's immediate turn instruction graphics). But, since it is the graphics that I look at most, I would pick the BMW above all. No one else has anything that compares to the Perspective view.
In my opinion, you have to go to an aftermarket system designed for a nav/audio enthusiast, before you get the features on your wish list. Alpine has been doing that stuff for 5 years, but no auto maker has dared introduce it into a factory system.
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This so true. Thanks for the great post.
I'll add a couple thoughts...
- It took MB many many many years to actually come out with a color screen too. MB was stuck with a 1" screen in its high end lineup for a good number of years before they finally offered a 7" color screen around the turn of the century.
- I think Nissan is the other manufacturer with a perspective view...
BMW has led the industry again with iDrive. Like it or not, everyone is doing it. Many people categorize iDrive as being hard to use or a nuissance right off the bat, when many people don't sit down and use the system for 10 minutes. Contrary to what people might tell you, it is very intuitive and is not very hard to master at all. The iDrive controller even provides force feedback - feedback you can recieve without even looking at the screen which is much safer than listening for clicks...
My point is, that iDrive gets much more slack than it deserves. Mostly due preconcieved notions from the automotive press and through word of mouth. If people actually spent the 10 minutes it takes to understand the system they'll realize it really isn't that hard to work at all.
On the flipside, there is room for improvment (BMW seems to be listening (iDrive is now on its 3rd revision). BMW also should not have based their system's OS on Windows CE - at least iDrive would crash a lot less...