USB download for navigation?

[AirPower]

I read somewhere that the new iDrive has the capability to download google directions off a USB drive. The article said that you use google directions on your home computer, dowload your directions to a thumb drive, plug the thumb drive into the car's USB port in the center console and the navigation system will upload the data.

Has anyone done this successfully?

[AirPower]

I read somewhere that the new iDrive has the capability to download google directions off a USB drive. The article said that you use google directions on your home computer, dowload your directions to a thumb drive, plug the thumb drive into the car's USB port in the center console and the navigation system will upload the data.

Has anyone done this successfully?

I guess no one has any experience or even heard of this.:shifty

[Gibson335]

If you find a location on Google Maps, you can send it to your car from your home computer. It shows up like an e-mail (envelope icon on i-drive screen). If you look at messages under the BMW Assist menu you can select it and the Nav system will calculate a route. You have to use your username on Google Maps so it knows to send it to your car. It took me a while to figure out that your username is the e-mail address on file with BMW Assist. Anybody else can send you directions from their computer if they know your username. I have never read anything about using a thumb drive to do it. I think it is actually a text message through BMW assist.

[AirPower]

Gibson,

Thanks for the input. That's good information. I don't think the email option will work over here in europe because my internet option/BMW assist don't work over here (stateside only - but I have a US spec car). I have to wait till I get back to the states to enable that.

That's why I was asking about the thumb drive option.

Also, How do you send it to the car? Does it have an email adress? Do you do this off the BMW site?

[Gibson335]

The Google Maps thing works through BMW Assist which is basically a cell phone connection to the car. You use it by going to the Google Maps website and finding something(only commercial locations work, personal home addresses don't). When the bubble comes up on the map pointing to the destination, you have options like get directions, etc. One of the options is "send". You click on this and select car (other options such as phone are listed). You then select BMW or Mercedes and the country. It lists USA, Canada, Austria, Germany, France, Italy and UK as options so I think it does work in Europe at least in those countries. You enter your username which is the e-mail address that you used when you registered BMW assist. It then sends the location to the car. I think it is basically a text message over the BMW assist cell phone built into the car. Internet access in the car is not required, only BMW Assist. In the US, internet in the car is an extra cost service. Once the message has arrived (takes only seconds), you see an envelope icon on the i-drive screen. You go to the BMW assist menu and select 'messages'. A list of messages then shows on the screen. You pick the one you want and you can then select the checkered flag icon for sending it to the nav system or you can call it (if you have a bluetooth phone connected). This is one of the coolest 'gadget' features of the car and I use it all the time. It is much easiser than entering (i-drive or voice) the destination in the car. I don't know if your US-spec car will work in Germany, but it should work in the US.

[mryakan]

The Google Maps thing works through BMW Assist which is basically a cell phone connection to the car. You use it by going to the Google Maps website and finding something(only commercial locations work, personal home addresses don't). When the bubble comes up on the map pointing to the destination, you have options like get directions, etc. One of the options is "send". You click on this and select car (other options such as phone are listed). You then select BMW or Mercedes and the country. It lists USA, Canada, Austria, Germany, France, Italy and UK as options so I think it does work in Europe at least in those countries. You enter your username which is the e-mail address that you used when you registered BMW assist. It then sends the location to the car. I think it is basically a text message over the BMW assist cell phone built into the car. Internet access in the car is not required, only BMW Assist. In the US, internet in the car is an extra cost service. Once the message has arrived (takes only seconds), you see an envelope icon on the i-drive screen. You go to the BMW assist menu and select 'messages'. A list of messages then shows on the screen. You pick the one you want and you can then select the checkered flag icon for sending it to the nav system or you can call it (if you have a bluetooth phone connected). This is one of the coolest 'gadget' features of the car and I use it all the time. It is much easiser than entering (i-drive or voice) the destination in the car. I don't know if your US-spec car will work in Germany, but it should work in the US.
Great writeup, would you mind putting it in our FAQ sticky for everyone's benefit.
Thanks

[Gibson335]

Thanks, I posted it to the FAQ