iDrive is the blanket name for BMW's infotainment systems.
It was among the very first infotainment systems offered, appearing as a prototype in 1999 before launching for real on the 2001 BMW 7 Series. The system was quickly added to the rest of the brand's range, but did cop some flack for its confusing submenus and unintuitive user experience.
It used a rotary dial to navigate between menus that was – pardon the pun – revolutionary. This setup allowed you to keep your eyes more on the road while making adjustments.
Touchscreen functionality came in 2016, while the brand’s very latest models now use a curved display system that incorporates both the central screen and digital driver's dials into a single wide unit.
BMW iDrive features
There are far too many features in a BMW iDrive system to list them all here. The most important functions include music and radio, navigation, handsfree phone calls, and adjusting vehicle settings. In more recent iDrive generations, you can also have a huge range of apps at your fingertips – you can have the Alexa app to add things to your shopping list or turn your home lights off, there are weather apps and parking apps so you can pay for your time in a car park without getting out of the car.
Newer iDrive systems also have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can use your phone’s apps directly through the car's screen without having to get your phone out of your pocket and plug it in.
How does iDrive work?
Most versions of iDrive are controlled by a circular dial which can be pushed in different directions to navigate around the screen. Modern iDrive generations can be controlled via this dial or via touching the screen, and some models with iDrive 8.0 and 9.0 such as the latest 1 Series hatchback have got rid of the dial altogether.
The dial and its surrounding shortcut buttons don’t take long to get used to, and they enable you to control the car’s functions without looking away from the road for a long time.
iDrive 7.0 – the version you’ll find in most 2018-2022 BMWs – comes with two setups. The Live Cockpit Plus setup includes an 8.8-inch touchscreen and a 5.7-inch screen nestled between the driver's analogue dials, while Live Cockpit Professional boasts a 10.25-inch touchscreen next to a 12.3-inch fully digital driver's cluster. iDrive 8.0 includes a curved single-panel display that features two large screens side-by-side.
How to use BMW iDrive voice controls
Voice control has made BMW’s iDrive even easier to use. What’s more, the voice control is quite clever these days, so you can use natural language to tell the car that 'you’re cold', for example, and it’ll automatically turn the temperature up and the heated seats on. It’ll even recognise whether the driver or passenger made the request, and turn on the appropriate heated seat. Simply press the voice control button on the steering wheel and the voice assistant fires into life.
Can BMW iDrive be updated?
Yes, software updates for iDrive can be deployed from time to time. Depending on the age and model of the car, this may require a trip to a dealer, or it can be done remotely over-the-air for more recent versions – just like a phone update.
Be aware it's pretty much impossible to update your iDrive from an older generation to a newer one. Doing so will need extensive dashboard reconfiguration and plenty of specialised hardware and software knowledge.
Benefits of BMW iDrive
We love to whinge about carmakers getting rid of buttons from the dashboard, but modern infotainment systems like iDrive include so many functions that screen-based setups simply make the most sense. Through iDrive, you can queue up your favourite playlist, set your navigation destination and even check what the weather will be like once you get there.
All this takes just a few spins of the centre control wheel in most BMW models, or just a few taps on the infotainment screen. The most modern versions can also perform all these actions via voice command, totally eliminating the need to look away from the road to make adjustments.
Plus, for drivers who just want the familiarity of software they already know, iDrive systems from the last few years have included Apple CarPlay and, more recently, Android Auto. This means you can use the same familiar apps like Google Maps, Waze or Spotify directly through the screen.
BMW iDrive problems
Modern iDrive systems are generally much more reliable than earlier ones, but they may still suffer a rare glitch. If you encounter an issue with your iDrive system, the first thing you should do is to turn your car off and on again – just as you might for a phone or tablet – to see if this clears the problem.
If this doesn't solve the problem, you might need a software update or a full system reset. If you're unable to perform these actions yourself, which may need to take the car to a BMW service location.
