BMWs get an in-built personality

BMWs get an “intelligent personal assistant” from March 2019.

The digital on-board character responds to the prompt “Hey BMW”.

This will mark the start of a new era in which drivers will increasingly be able to operate their car and access its functions and information simply by speaking, BMW says.

Eventually, the personal assistant will be at the driver’s beck and call outside their vehicle too, whether it’s at home with the help of a smart speaker or out and about via a smartphone.

The assistant will later be compatible with other digital voice assistants and can lead to greater vehicle autonomy.

The link-up with BMW’s Open Mobility Cloud and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) means the personal assistant’s capabilities are being enhanced all the time. Regular updates can be done on a smartphone and in the car by means of the remote software upgrade facility, which will keep expanding the range of functions and skills on offer.

“BMW’s intelligent personal assistant combines with the new BMW Operating System 7.0 to create a brand new, digital form of interaction with your BMW that redefines the whole driving experience,” BMW Group digital products senior vice-president Dieter May says.

The assistant learns routines and habits, and can apply them in the appropriate context, such as settings for seat heating or finding places the driver goes to frequently.

Saying “Hey BMW, I’m cold” will prompt it to adjust the interior temperature.

The assistant can explain different functions, provide car status information and help answer questions.

It knows the driver’s favourite settings, and can even activate a combination of them for their greater well-being. For instance, “Hey BMW, I feel tired” triggers a vitality programme that adjusts the lighting mood, music and temperature to make the driver feel more awake.

The assistant will later also be able to give fuel-saving tips or think ahead and warn drivers as necessary, such alerting the driver to low tyre pressure, reminding of service appointments and even arranging one.

It will find somewhere to park, provide information on traffic jams, link the occupants to teleconferences, read out emails and more – turning the car into a mobile office.

A name can be given the assistant too, and it improves with every command given, every question asked and every setting made.

Forming the basis for all of this will be the portable, digital customer profile – the BMW ID. This profile links the car to the customer and their digital world.

The assistant can also identify a song being played or search for the required music.

A basic version of the assistant with voice control in 23 languages will be available from March 2019 and available to order with the new BMW 3 Series from November 2018.

In the case of the new BMW X5, Z4 and 8 Series models fitted with the BMW Operating System 7.0, the remote software upgrade facility will allow customers to install the full version of BMW intelligent personal assistant themselves.