Juicy iDrive Pictures

[nitram_luap]

Found this great post over at www.babybmw.net

http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?t=423

There are some excellent pictures of the iDrive system in the 1 series. I really like the foldaway screen so you can totally ignore it when you want to... but what an excellent system. I'm really looking forward to the E90s iDrive when I finish my lease in a few years...

Paul Martin
Australia

[schreck]

Good to see you like the iDrive, Paul! The 1er looks awesome..nice find. :thumbup:

[bmw325]

Found this great post over at www.babybmw.net

http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?t=423

There are some excellent pictures of the iDrive system in the 1 series. I really like the foldaway screen so you can totally ignore it when you want to... but what an excellent system. I'm really looking forward to the E90s iDrive when I finish my lease in a few years...

Paul Martin
Australia

I like the fold-away screen feature too. I wish BMW would do the same thing in the e90, 60 and 65.

[LmtdSlip]

Any chance that is a touch screen as well?

[Alex Baumann]

Any chance that is a touch screen as well?

Unfortunately no.

[nitram_luap]

I'm actually very happy that BMW doesn't use a touch screen. While they may make interfacing a little easier it has some drawbacks:
- You still have to reach for the screen (rather than a knob close to your hand like iDrive)
- The screen gets dirty very quickly, and it more likely to be scratched
- The selectable elements have a limit to how small they can be on the screen (so that a fat finger can select it easily)

The popup screen is an excellent idea with only one drawback - it is much more susceptible to sun glare... which is why they've gone the 'built in' double hump option I'd say... I'm sure even that will grow on me. And you can still turn the screen off if need be.

I think the iDrive is one of the better ways of dealing with this. Like all technologies, it will take some time for everyone to get used to it but I bet that in a few years everyone will be wondering what all the fuss was about - just like the 'new' indicator mechanism (I really like it - much better than the 'mechanical' versions of old)...

The more configuring of the car that moves from the dealer to the driver is one of its many good points... the pros certainly outweigh the cons.

...and as far as the actual driving of this car goes... it's excellent, as I'm sure the new E90 will be! (see my ealier post)

Paul Martin
Australia

[Warot]

Well the thing with the glare is that the screen is adjustable... I know it is on the X3... that means you can tilt it electronically to get rid of the glare. Good to hear that you like the I drive becaose so do i

[zerofighter]

Well the thing with the glare is that the screen is adjustable... I know it is on the X3... that means you can tilt it electronically to get rid of the glare. Good to hear that you like the I drive becaose so do i

I like iDrive aswell. One just has to think of it as a mouse to a computer. The flip up screen is definately better then the nav normal screen. Also a touch screen would be way to easy to break, do you know how many people will be like "Oh cool, touch screen" then they will go on and molest it. (well not literally.)

[operknockity]

I like the fold-away screen feature too. I wish BMW would do the same thing in the e90, 60 and 65. :stupid:

I really hate the extra hump on the dashes of the current iDrive-equiped bimmers. Since the prevailing argument seems to be that you only really need to use iDrive for Nav and to adjust things which need very infrequent adjustments, I'd rather not even have to deal with the screen and the hump when I'm not using it!

[330Legend]

This was the best tour of idrive I've ever seen. Looks totally cool. I too can't wait to see how they morph into the new 3 series. thanks for the link :thumbup:

[Bob330Ci]

My only gripe as far as that goes comes from the X3 and Z4 with Nav...flip the screen down, and you can't see the radio station...

B.

[gareth2005]

The original iDrive software in the 1 Series was pretty poor - like a re-hashed and cut down version of the 3 Series iDrive... they've just fixed this though and it's a thousand times better. Improved graphics, 3D perspective view on the Sat Nav (you can still select top down if you like), and the TMC now works properly.

If you're a 1 Series owner, in the UK at least, BMW should do the software upgrade for free if you complain enough to them. It takes about half a day.

Image attached - perspective view. New icons down the left hand side of the map: Turn off voice, Start/Stop following route, Scroll around map, turn on/off information, change map view (top down north facing, top down facing direction of travel, perspective), Follow / avoid motorways, & TMC Information (this flashes red when there are incidents on your planned route).