Interesting review for the latest iteration of iDrive

What do you guys think? Anyone with personal experience?

From edmunds
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightlin...eful.html#more




They should have named it k-Drive or something, because BMW's new iDrive is a big departure from previous iterations of this navigation controller. BMW has transformed iDrive from the butt of automotive jokes into a useful tool to access in-vehicle navigation, entertainment, and vehicle settings.

Preliminary reports suggested that the new iDrive's major improvement was the addition of switches on the periphery of the rotary controller, in a similar fashion as Audi's MMI. But these switches are the least of its accomplishments. The new iDrive's excellent usability and screen flow are the big stories.



The new iDrive uses an intuitive **** that both rotates and tilts in four directions. The tilt part of the operation is used to go to the menu icons to the left of the map screen, either side of the split screen, or to screens behind the displayed screen. Using screens to overlap other screens is known as "tab concept," like tabs on office computer software, and it is well executed on iDrive.

The dimensions of the screen are huge: 9.5 inches wide x 3.5 inches high, and some 10.0 inches diagonally. This is one of the largest factory-installed displays on the market. This width allows for good workspace for the tab concept layout. It also allows the user to choose to split the screen into two, say for map display/route guidance on the left, and radio information (channel, artist, song) on the right. Unlike the previous iDrive, where it was nearly impossible to configure the secondary screen, the new iDrive makes it easy to accomplish these tasks.

Moving to different screen tabs and to each side of the split screen can be easily achieved with a left or right tilt. The tilt operation is much more intuitive than the previous iDrive's pull/push operation, also in use on Mercedes' COMAND system.

At the same time BMW has unfortunately abandoned haptic feedback for this new generation of iDrive. Haptic feedback is electro-mechanical force feedback that gives the user additional sensory cues (vibration, for example) to control operation.

BMW was a leader in haptic feedback in automotive applications with the original iDrive, which had variable haptic feedback for different functions. For instance, manual radio tuning and preset tuning would result in different haptic feeling through the iDrive ****. This was designed to provide for "blind" operation, so the driver could understand which operation was occurring while maintaining focus on driving. But in practice, it was difficult to discern any differences in feeling unless you were instead focused entirely on the iDrive.




One impressive feature of the new iDrive is that the owner's manual can be displayed and searched by keyword. This is a very convenient feature, as we found out when we turned off the back-up camera and could not remember how to turn it back on. After a keyword search, some quick reading, and a few clicks of iDrive, the back-up display was up again. Many other vehicle settings can also be controlled by iDrive.

BMW continues its company policy of having faith in driver responsibility by allowing all functions to be available while driving. Nothing is locked out while the vehicle is in motion.
It's unusual for an automotive engineering system to go from worst in class to one of the best in class -- that's more common for a sports team, like the Boston Celtics. But BMW has done just that with the new iDrive, which is now one of the best navigation and entertainment controllers on

 

i have used the 09 new idrive system. i have to say it's a clear improvement from before, and a lot of people share the same comment.

but you have to notice something too. the new idrive actually gets into more of a button / joystick type of control. as you can see, there are more buttons around the **** now (vs only 2 on the old generation). also, more of the operations are now done by by pressing buttons (obviously) or by pushing the control **** in the 4 directions (arrow), vs the old way where more operations are done by rotating the ****.

now you would have to wonder why the idrive went in this direction. that's simply because the old system was way too hard to use for most people. i know a lot of people, including myself and my wife, always confuse between whether they should be rotating or pushing the ****. in short it's just confusing at best, and this is after months of "training"

of course, bottom line is i think the new system is better in a lot of ways, but imho it's a little compromise in their original "philosophy". for me? i will continue to suffer in my 08

 

I suppose this is the route they should have gone originally. So for example, hitting the radio button instead of trying to find it in the menu through the 'joystick' is so much simpler. I've never had a hard time using / figuring out iDrive but then again i have not lived with it day to day as i don't have it in my car.

 

well when i am a passenger playing with the system, it's ok coz' i can see exactly what i am doing. but when i am driving, i have to concentrate on the road and thus not much focus on deciding to turn or move the ****, and a lot of times i end up having to "redo"

but yes, now those 4 buttons brings you to the 4 main quadrants right the way, that's a big improvement already. on the old system not many people know you can move and hold the **** for 2 seconds to go to last screen in last menu. ok, i am sure i confuse a lot of people already

 

In a nutshell, the new interface adds simplicity. How about adding text to speech on the nav BMW? I want my street names instead of "turn left turn right"..

 

The same could be said about most OEM navigation though.

Overall the new iDrive sounds like a huge step in the right direction

 

So this thing is actually usable now? Nice...the old one was from the 90's it felt like.

 

a slightly different topic --

my buddy had an 09 528 loaner the other day - I was a passenger for about 15 mins and it appeared to have NAV/idrive but I could never get a map to pop up...is this because there was no disc installed or do all 5 series have idrive just not the GPS components??

 

this is like the thing in the RX350. Big improvement over the old one it looks like, shortcut keys, going to be a lot less wheeling around.

 

The standard 5 has the screen and
I-drive ****. Navigation is an option. In a non nav equipped 5, one can control ac functions and radio with the i-drive **** in addition to the other methods of controlling these features.

 

Toyota's Gen 6 nav will do that.

 

Yeah the 528's don't come standard with navigation. The HVAC system can be further controlled (by zone) using the joystick independently of the dash controls.

 

my ford nav has text to speech.