New iDrive controller & infotainment system(with hard drive) for X5 and X6

[LeMansX5]

A completely new infotainment system will replace BMW’s current CCC (Car Communication Computer) system in most but not all BMWs starting possibly as soon as September 2008 production, according to unconfirmed reports we have collected. The CIC will reportedly be installed on new 1er, 3er, 5er, and 6er Series, and possibly the new F01 7er Series, this fall if things fall into place as planned.

The X5 and X6 should receive the new CIC -- the acronym apparently stands for Car Infortainment Computer -- starting with March 2009 production. The CIC is made by Becker, which currently makes M-ASK (MMI Audio System Kontroller) systems for BMW, used in MOST-bus vehicles without "Professional" satellite navigation.



The system will include a 40-gigabyte (GB) hard disk drive, reportedly partitioned as follows (hopefully there will be more room for music and less room for names and addresses when we get final specs):

• System 2GB
• Music 3GB
• Entertainment server 8GB
• Navigation map data 12GB
• Telephone (name and address) 10GB
• Reserve 5GB

A new higher resolution display, reportedly 1280x480, will be included with the CIC. Favorites buttons, introduced on the E60 5er Series LCI (life cycle impuls, or mid-life refresh), will continue although it is likely we’ll see a new menu structure and improved language support. The new iDrive controller we mentioned last month will be part of the package as well.

Only one DVD drive will be included (the current Professional Navigation system now comes with two, one for music and one for map data; map data will be stored on the hard drive. It’s not clear yet as to whether drivers will still purchase a DVD and transfer it or whether the data will be updated in the dealer’s workshop but we suspect the latter will be the case. On other cars with hard drives for navigation, all have a dealer option to upgrade the navigation data and some also let the owner do it via a disc that is read by the car's lone optical drive.

BMW's Configurator (see photo below) shows the new iDrive controller and a blank iDrive display, perhaps indicating that the new menu structure is yet to come.

Additional features include a USB port in the glove box which will be used for transferring or downloading music to the CIC, as well as support for EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, providing data transfer at up to 560 kbps) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, a true 3G mobile telecommunications standard based on GSM although it’s not compatible with GSM, providing a data transfer rate of up to 2 Mbps).

Another unconfirmed report indicated that Night Vision may project its image via the car’s Head-Up Display (HUD) instead of using the iDrive CID (Central Information Display). Night Vision may also benefit from improved resolution and new safety features including a so-called “Pedestrian Catcher” that alerts the driver to pedestrians. It will still be made by Autoliv using a FLIR sensor that has greater range in this new version, about 500 rather than 300 meters.

[pureflames]

wow...cool stuff. for those debating whether to buy an '08 or wait for an '09...the choice is clear!

[vinuneuro]

Are those 09 E60 seats different too?

Entertainment Server?

[brian5]

Originally Posted by pureflames

wow...cool stuff. for those debating whether to buy an '08 or wait for an '09...the choice is clear!

Note that LeMansX5 said starting with March '09 production. There will be lots of '09's built before that date...

[rh71]

This is the first bit of news that I actually feel a bit jealous of...

The harddrive will make everything pull up faster in theory... but what is it using now?

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by vinuneuro

Are those 09 E60 seats different too?

Entertainment Server?

The iDrive controller pic is from E90 facelift pic I had posted earlier.

[mtech8]

But the article says that the X5 SHOULD get it in the March 09 build. Is there any confirmation of this. I'd hate to wait until March 09 and then find out that it'll be in the 2010 model.

So torn!

[drod]

not convinced it's a step in the right direction...

you would think BMW has enough info on what others are doing...(and doing it better!!)

heck, we know and we don't have to spend R&D money to see it...

what we need is a touch screen!!!

[CarLover2008]

Darn...not only Google Maps/My Info but also this...crap...but waiting until March 09 will be a killer...would they put this in the 2009 models which I hope will be released September?

[X5audi]

CIC=MMI?