BETTER PARTSWith Alexa for the business meeting
Munich, 29 July 2016
Like all carmakers, BMW currently tried a digitisation strategy to work out where actually nobody knows what exactly does digitization. Anyway, what with Smartphone, cloud and all that. Why that is important for a vehicle manufacturer? Should a car not primarily good drive? Already. But Dieter May, the digitization officer of BMW, cited a McKinsey study: 37 percent of buyers of mid-range cars would change the brand, if not enough digital services are offered. In other words: it's no longer just about the car Quartet number of Horsepower, acceleration and top, but more and more about how well the car cooperates with the Smartphone.
To the appointment by using Alexa and the cloud
At BMW, the whole thing is called "BMW connected" and should be a "personalized, digital mobility Assistant'. That includes much more than just an app for mobile phones, although these and a cloud play an important role. As an example, the developers brought an Amazon echo. It is a cylindrical computer with built-in speakers and Internet connection, which is the absolute bestseller in the United States at Amazon. The 180-dollar device obey voice commands as: "Alexa, play from Spotify Adele" (Alexa, games Adele spotify) or "Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes" (Alexa, instead the alarm for 10 minutes) or "Alexa, find me a Chinese restaurant" (Alexa, look for a Chinese restaurant). BMW wants to use the device for vehicle-specific things: "Alexa, ask BMW: what is my vehicle reach?" (Alexa, BMW ask: what is my rest range) or "Alexa, ask BMW: When should I leave for my next appointment?" (Alexa, BMW ask: When should I go for my appointment). The echo computer then connects to the Amazon Cloud, which in turn gets the answers from the BMW cloud.
Automatic acquisition of dates
Amazon echo is not available yet in Germany, and it is still unclear whether it strikes so as in the United States (also because of the privacy issue). For those who have no Alexa at home, there's an app. This automatically dates from the iPhone calendar for example, if there is also a place is registered. Obtained in due time prior to the date a notification that it is time now to leave real time Verkehsinformationen are of course taken into account. It sits in the car, the destination into the Navi is automatically transmitted. If it takes longer than expected, due to a jam you can send a notification to the business partner that is a quarter of an hour later arrives. It is then locally, the app takes over pedestrian navigation from the parking lot to the venue. Also a further inter modal navigation is possible, as may told us.
Starting in August 2016
BMW connected starts in August 2016. The app is free and can be used in BMW's navigation system. In the United States, where the system is used since the end of March, it has already gained much customer feedback. You need to understand what people want and what not, so may. The findings will be worked continuously, every six weeks there is an update. "We are working as quickly as an Internet company", says may proudly, and reminds that car developers, otherwise working in the waterfall mode: it is developed so long until the vehicle is finished and then nothing changes for years. For an automaker, the quick updates to Mays team are therefore a revolution that must be enforced for the first time. But BMW is revolutions Yes now wont just think of carbon, the front-wheel drive and the van with three-cylinder engine. (sl)