Displaying Current Speed Limit

I picked up my X3 two weeks ago and I'm still learning where things are located in the car, but this one eludes me. I've read the manual both print and current PDF and I am very surprised that there does not appear to be a standard option for displaying the current speed limit information (ideally on the NAV display).

What I'm looking for is a feature I have in my $200 Garmin. Basically I'd like to know what the speed limit is for the road I'm traveling. In my Garmin it simply displays a small speed limit icon that contains the current limit info. Does anyone know if there is a similar feature in the 2013 X3 NAV system?

I have found the section in the manual titled "Speed limit detection with No Passing Information", however this must be an option I didn't purchase as I don't have this option under "Settings, Info Display, Speed limit Information" as described in the manual. Personal rant, I really wish the manual pointed out which items are optional and/or which package they are part of.

I've been able to set the "Speed limit" chime that alerts at a fixed speed and then promptly deactivated that.

Thanks in advance!

It sounds like you did not purchase the option, thus it's not something you can select under the "Settings" --> "Info Display" menu.

Is this a standalone option or part of the technology package?

Originally Posted by Me530

Is this a standalone option or part of the technology package?

Don't even think it's available in the US.

Not available in the US.

The speed limit signs in Europe (?) follow some strict standards that the camera on the back of the mirror can detect and interpret. Not so in the US, so they simply disable this feature as it would not work reliably.

Garmin operates off of their database and GPS location to determine speed limit. This information is not included in the BMW navigation system.

It is available on the US spec F30. I agree, I don't think its available on the US F25.

The F10 guys have been trying to retrofit speed limit info through coding and they are getting close. Since F25s outside of US can have this option led me to believe it's a software thing for F25 as well. You do need to have lane departure warning otherwise you won't have the camera. Kinda make me regret not getting lane departure

My 2012 X3 always "chimed" when I exceeded the speed limit. I did not have the "tech" package, either. Mine was delivered on February 8, 2011 (I've since sold it and gotten the F30, though).

Most BMW's have an alert that you can set so that it chimes when you reach a predefined speed limit. I have mine set to chime when I reach 80 mph. This is a different feature not related to the speed limit sign recognition.

I asked the same question to the dealer when I first started to drive my new 528i and found that it did not display the posted speed limit - seemed to me that having this info on display would be a no-brainer, a critical info for any driver. Anyway, the dealer told me that this info is only available with the HUD option which I now regret not having ordered... But if the info is available (else how would navigation calculate the time to arrival), then there could be a way to enable the speed limit display by software coding?

Originally Posted by Mutro

I asked the same question to the dealer when I first started to drive my new 528i and found that it did not display the posted speed limit - seemed to me that having this info on display would be a no-brainer, a critical info for any driver. Anyway, the dealer told me that this info is only available with the HUD option which I now regret not having ordered... But if the info is available (else how would navigation calculate the time to arrival), then there could be a way to enable the speed limit display by software coding?

I have HUD and I have no speed limit info on a my2013

Thanks for letting me know. Not the first time that my dealer has misinformation... So it seems the posted speed limit info is not available in the US at any price... Pretty lame for a "luxury" car... The owners' manual is misleading as it seems to indicate the info is available and can be displayed (but only in Europe?) The manual also indicates the car uses a camera and actual posted signs... how arcane is that when they could just use a database like Gamin? Speaking of Garmin, compared to the BMW GPS, it performs a lot better at finding best routes in my area.

A database would need to be constantly updated and you would need to perform updates, presumably at some cost, to stay current. If I wanted to depend on accurate data, I would much rather the car read the sign so the data was always current, in the case that speed limits changed.

True, but I've had no issues with my several versions of Garmins that I've used over the years, both here in the US as well as in Europe. I'd rather have the data with some imperfections (which I've not experienced over the years) vs no info at all. As far as updates and associated costs, this is for me an acknowledged cost of a GPS system due to changes in the roads in my area. Plus the BMW Nav system must be relying on some speed limit db to calculate the time of arrival?

Charging for updates is an old paradigm. The updates should be free, and the process should be no more complicated than the process for doing USB-based software updates for Bluetooth and Phone support.

Sad but true... apparently the old paradigm is alive and well in Bavaria for its captive audience.

Only thing I like better about my bmw nav than the garmin is it doesn't fly off the dashboard when I accelerate hard :-)