BMW goes all in on Apple CarPlay in i4 M50 marketing

BMW i4 M50 series control panel

BMW and Bosch Smart Home have launched a joint campaign to promote the use of voice assistants in the BMW i4 M50series, and Apple’s Siri and its integration with CarPlay is in the driving seat.

Now with Hey Siri ability

The car maker has introduced BMW OS 8 in the i4, which means Apple CarPlay and Siri are fully integrated, meaning drivers can simply say “Hey Siri” to activate the digital voice assistant, rather than pressing a button on the wheel.

With Apple’s HomeKit and Apple CarPlay, lights or temperatures can be adjusted seamlessly and intelligently, and the status of doors and windows can be checked.

“We are pleased to be able to show solutions in our joint campaign with Bosch that make life easier. In addition to the driving experience, the focus of our customers is increasingly on the BMW digital ecosystem. Our aim is to provide convenient and reliable access to your Smart Home devices and functions while in the vehicle”, says Stephan Durach, SVP Connected Company Development, Technical Operations.

A little pester campaign

BMW and Bosch have made a series of videos available to show the benefits of the integration of CarPlay in the BMW vehicle and the corresponding access to Bosch Smart Home products are made clear in the “Living the smart life” campaign.

The long version of this is available below.

https://youtu.be/vt4E9j8NS8Q

In four different short films, three friends get into their BMW i4 and drive off. After a short while, the flatmates ask themselves in different scenarios whether their blinds at home are closed, the lights are switched off or the alarm system is active. Instead of going back to look, they ask Siri via Apple CarPlay.

[Also read: Apple’s CarPlay now helps cops in Western Australia]

 Siri has become good enough to both respond to command and to answer questions. For example, when it is asked if the windows at home are closed it can share this information, thanks to HomeKit.

Joining the dots

Christian Thess, Managing Director of Bosch Smart Home said in a press release: “We are pleased to have the option of Apple CarPlay control via Siri. BMW drivers can thus conveniently access their homes using familiar voice commands and easily ensure a higher level of security and sustainability in their own homes while on the move.”

Access to Bosch Smart Home devices is also possible using the voice assistant called Google Assistant in Android Auto and the Amazon Alexa Car Integration.

Built around BMW’s fifth-generation eDrive technology the BMW i4 M50 is billed as the world’s first fully electric car with a range of over 300 miles and acceleration from 0 to 62mph in 3.9 seconds. Could be as close to an Apple Car experience as we can expect for a while.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.