Sheer Driving Pleasure gets an update: New Remote Software Upgrade for around two million BMW vehicles worldwide.

Munich. BMW Remote Software Upgrades deliver comprehensive improvements to key vehicle functions, bring the latest digital products into the vehicle over the air and ensure software is always up to date. The BMW Group is offering its third over-the-air upgrade this year – this time for around two million BMW vehicles worldwide. By the end of 2021, the world’s largest upgrade-compatible fleet will be on the roads, with over 2.5 million connected BMW vehicles, from conventionally powered cars to plug-in hybrids to the fully-electric BMW. 

The BMW Group’s most extensive Remote Software Upgrade campaign to date will begin with the rollout of the latest version of BMW Operating System 7 (Ver. 21-07) on 11 Oct. 2021. The campaign will kick off in Germany, with other markets to follow in stages. This comprehensive Remote Software Upgrade campaign will focus on expanding and improving driver assistance functions. Spotify will also enhance the entertainment experience offered by BMW Connected Music and can now also play podcasts. BMW M3 and M4 drivers can look forward to a unique new sound experience while driving, thanks to M Sound Control. Each of these new features offers customers greater convenience, enhanced safety and, quite simply, more Sheer Driving Pleasure.

When you start the playback you accept the necessary cookies for YouTubePlayer. On our cookie information page you can set or revoke cookies permanently and find more information about our cookie usage.

With the current upgrade, more than 30 models and 1.6 million vehicles worldwide built by the premium manufacturer will be able to update their software directly. It will also be possible to roll out the current version (Ver. 21-07) to almost 400,000 more vehicles with an older software version. The requirement is that these vehicles have a software version with upgrade capabilities (Ver. 20-07); this can easily be achieved by installing the previous version.

New and enhanced functions.

• Unnecessary steering interventions can be avoided with the improved Lane Departure Warning on narrowing roads without centre markings, as well as calculated cornering.
• See what your BMW sees: This is possible with the new Assisted View. When Active Cruise Control (ACC) is activated, the BMW recognises the traffic situation around the vehicle in moving traffic, even in fog. This function offers more comfort and safety – now also in China.
• More comprehensive data collection of traffic information via enhanced RTTI (Real-Time Traffic Information) allows BMW Maps to plan routes and predict arrival times even more precisely.
• Spotify podcast playlists are now available in the car through BMW Connected Music. Logging in via the Spotify app in the car and BMW Connected Music automatically activates this feature.
• Enhanced driver detection in the vehicle ensures the correct driver profile is loaded, no matter where the vehicle key is in the vehicle.
• The new BMW M Sound Control for the BMW M3 and BMW M4 promises pure emotion – whether starting the engine, changing gears or switching between driving experience modes. In any case, a customisable interior sound and a unique BMW M Sound Experience is guaranteed.
• Advanced volume control for Android smartphones connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth provides an enhanced sound experience for streaming music or podcasts.

Functional improvements.

This Remote Software Upgrade once again delivers technical service options. For the customer, this means functions are immediately improved, without waiting times or a trip to the workshop.

Remote Software Upgrade and rollout.

With BMW Operating System 7 and Remote Software Upgrade, BMW drivers have been able to update their vehicle quickly and easily with the latest software since 2018 – regardless of whether the new software is delivered to the vehicle via the My BMW app or directly over-the-air. The new features can be conveniently downloaded into the car. Installation files are prepared in the vehicle in the background; once this is complete, even installation of major upgrades rarely takes more than 20 minutes.

Vehicles with BMW Operating System 7 produced from July 2021 on already come with the latest version, including all additional functions. Customers can view the software version and check for available upgrades in the vehicle settings under Remote Software Upgrade. Remote Software Upgrade is now available for more than 30 BMW models – almost the entire BMW fleet. Vehicles with software older than version 20-07 cannot install the latest version until the intermediate version has been downloaded and installed. Only the next possible upgrade is available for installation, so the user can never install the wrong version.

The availability of services and functions depends on the vehicle model and equipment, as well as the software version installed in each country. Customers can view the release notes for their respective market on the country pages of the BMW website.

Instructions and tips for the Remote Software Upgrade can be found in the corresponding BMW how-to video. 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Torsten Julich, press spokesperson, Digital Car/Connectivity

BMW Group

Tel.: +49-89-382-28405, Email: Torsten.Julich@bmw.de

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email: presse@bmw.de