MF Exclusive: MINI Connected to Bring Web Content to the Cockpit

Sections: R55 (Clubman) | R56 (Hatch) | R57 (Conv.) | Technology Nov 24th, 2009 23 Comments

The BMW Group Technology Office in Palo Alto is working on extending MINI entertainment in ways that were hardly imaginable 3-4 years ago. We’ve talked about MINI Connected on MF before but we didn’t have a full understanding of what the program ultimately could produce.

The current idea is that MINI Connected will not only connect to the web for entertainment but will leverage an iPhone app to connect to the following content:

Webradio
News
Google Local Search
Community
Send to Car

Let’s start with webradio. The idea here is to allow for MINI Connected (essentially a new menu within the navigation system) to connect to your favorite web radio stations via your iPhone. With news it would be much the same simply displaying content on the screen leveraging the iPhone app (which would allow you to customize what is shown).

Google search would essentially replace the POI search within the navigation and allow you to quickly search up to date information and add it as a destination within your Nav.

Community is a little foggy but our understanding it that this could connect such sites as Twitter or Facebook (of course we all know that connecting to MF would be more valuable).

Finally the send to car allows you to receive directions or addresses from Google Maps on a computer.

In all MINI Connected is the first step in a fully connected (yes we couldn’t help ourselves) entertainment option. But this is just the first step. MINI intends to bring new entertainment options (some requiring an iPhone) to market over the next few years culminating in some pretty impressive features on the next generation MINI due out in 2013. In the meantime look for MINI Connected to debut with the life-cycle refresh at the Geneva Motorshow. If all goes well it should go on sale next fall.

Written By: Gabe

http://mynextmini.info Chris

Now I’m debating if I should wait till next model year to order my MINI. I was going to order a MINI Clubman S around april of 2010.
danny

Sweet. It makes sense to use the iPhone. When I first heard of the system I thought they would go the Microsoft / Sync type route. Glad they are getting it.

If they open their api up a bit then iPhone devs could write other apps as well. Exciting.
Gary

So, more stuff to distract drivers from what they should actually be doing… driving.
that.guy

You can already hook an iPhone up to an aux input jack for streaming “web radio” and the iPhone screen is great. So what is the point?
indimini

With the IT industry advancing in cycles measured in 6-12 months, it’s tough for auto industry to get integration right with 4-6 year dev cycles. To me, it seems risky to commit to a single platform like iPhone.

Is MINI planning on only supporting iPhone or is that just their first targeted platform? Android is starting to make some serious inroads into the mobile OS market, plus Android’s ties to Google looks like a logical choice over or in addition to iPhone.

I agree with thatguy — my DROID plugs into Aux port and gives me streaming radio, turn-by-turn voice navi, etc. all without being tied to any one auto mfr’s hardware.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

I agree with thatguy — my DROID plugs into Aux port and gives me streaming radio, turn-by-turn voice navi, etc. all without being tied to any one auto mfr’s hardware.

That is the key and MINI knows this very very well.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1046757782 Peter Braun

Generally a major move!
Chip

Any chance you will be able to upgrade the current Nav system to accomodate “miniconnected”?
Chad

Considering how badly the nav sucks in my R56, I’m not sure if this is good or bad. Tying it to an iPhone sounds like an even worse idea.
http://www.fes-auto.com Dr Obnxs

There’s tons going on in the market space. Here’s a link to the MOST Cooperation site with a good vid of how MOST works and it’s extendability.

http://www.mostcooperation.com/f/static/network/index.html

You’ll notice the similarity between the MOST architecture and the graphic on the next nav display, no doubt.

CANOpen is working on the same idea as well: providing a uniform, standardized interface for extending the high bandwidth entertainment bus in cars. The basic idea is that there has to be some sort of gateway/firewall that protects the factory network, yet allows the user to customize and augement the driving space/environment with whatever gizmo that the car owner wants.

Ethernet and Fireware are getting into the fight as well.

BMW is an early adoptor of both MOST and CAN….

Matt
txdesign

“So, more stuff to distract drivers from what they should actually be doingâ€¦ driving.”

Gary, looks like it’s just the two of us doing any driving any more. Everybody else is busy doing other stuff.
James Irmiger

Agreeing with that.guy, I already stream Pandora via the iPhone and it works just fine. Maps, Google, Facebook, I’ve got them too. Why the heck would I want to pay this kind of premium for something I’ve already got?

Besides, as txdesign and gary said, shouldn’t we be driving? Nice idea, but without any mention of voice input like Sync, I’m a bit nervous.
rosvick

@Gary & txdesign, can I join your camp? Anything to do with purifying the driving experience is what I’m all about. All this networking is best left to the desktop, not the dashboard!
http://www.fes-auto.com Dr Obnxs

I was at a media thing and the Dodge folks had the new full sized pick up there with integrated WiFi. I asked if any one had crashed yet cause they were watching porn while driving. I don’t think they were amused…

But really, the car is the convergance platform for technology. A lot of people spend time in cars. Many want convinience (iPod for tunes, vids for kids, nav and hands free phone stuff). Who’s to say what’s too much?

For the purists, just hope that it’s an option so you don’t have to buy it. Or if it’s not, you don’t have to use it.

But it will be there. heck, even the supercharged Elise I was driving had a stereo! So much for purity of the driving experience! ;)

Matt
goat

I’m fine with convergence and fine with iPhone / similar smartphones extending the car’s media interfaces. Just don’t take away the manual transmission, or the road feel, or the engine and exhaust sounds, and sort the user interface to minimize driving distraction. Nice to see the work being done on “e-connectivity” but would be reassuring to see more press releases from MINI talking up on-road dynamic performance. After all, it is the sporting drive that from the outset gave the MINI brand credibility and raised it beyond a mere “lifestyle brand”. Just sayin’…
alpinamike

Apple does have a relationship with MINI to uphold. I say more iphone integration. If apple can work with BMW/MINI to launch products first, this gives MINI the edge. The corporate culture of Apple blends well with MINI and BMW for that matter. BTW I have about the closest thing to an integrated Iphone/MINI right now and I like it.
alpinamike

Also if you can talk and send a tweet automatically without touching the iphone(maybe just the telephone wheel interface), this would be cool.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=29104291 Daniel Mittelman

if this allows people to tweet while driving, I’ll never drive a mini again
KPH

I’m still not happy with the decadence of power windows.
Gary

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a driving purist… more like I don’t want to see my wife (or I) get hit yet again by people busy with their gadgets instead of paying attention to their driving.

Anything passive is fine with me, it’s only when you have to interact with it taking your focus away from driving that it becomes a problem.
alpinamike

I was joking about the tweet thing, i just wanted to see someone’s reaction about tweeting.
http://www.fes-auto.com Dr Obnxs

I don’t think anyone should mate a car to a specific phone platform. That’s just dumb. That’s what interface standards are for. Let’s just see if they work it all out, or if it gets Balkenized into camps.

There’s definantly a battle going on between features and driver distraction. Here in the US they mostly get won by whatever will sell more hardware. So get used to the idea of multiple independant live streaming video feeds so that each passenger can have his or her little cacoon of privacy and isolation…..

Matt
robble

Daniel Mittelman Nov 24th, 2009 Link if this allows people to tweet while driving, Iâ€™ll never go near a road again

FIXED @grin@

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