BMW is going the extra mile to embrace emerging technology trends with its new virtual assistant suite. Intelligent Personal Assistant is now available in the 3 Series with additional models ready by next March.
The technology will work similarly to Amazon Alexa's voice assistant service, with an activation voice command "Hey BMW" read to check and adjust vehicle settings, such as climate control, tire pressure checks, ambient lighting, and navigational requests. Third party integrations will also appeal to devout workaholics, since Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business will be on tap to accept conference calls and read emails out loud.
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The new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which can also be assigned its own name, will also accept more open-ended questions from users, delivering quirky answers in a "natural," everyday conversational tone. Perfect for if you're riding solo and are looking for something to break the silence. As users engage the system and move passed the basic version, it learns more and more preferences over time, with regular skill updates that enhance the whole driving experience.
"BMW's Personal Assistant gets to know you over time with each of your voice commands and by using your car," senior vice president of Digital Products and Services Dieter May said. "It gets better and better every single day."
At the moment, several automakers are relying on third-party integrations with Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to introduce voice assistance, with the BMW Group being one of the few to branch out and develop its own system. Look for the digital assistant in all vehicles carrying BMW's Operating System 7.0 or Live Cockpit Professional in 23 languages and countries starting in March.
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