Hot Seat: BMW owners push back against heated seat subscription, pirate software to access features
Toronto, Ontario – Where there’s a will, there’s a way, as the old saying goes. This seems exceptionally true for BMW owners who’ve found a way to hack their vehicles despite the announcement last week that BMW would be instating a subscription service within their cars in order to access heated seats, as well as […]
Pay to Play: BMW locks certain digital functions behind paywall
Seoul, South Korea — Taking a cue from the airline industry and mobile gaming, BMW is pushing paid subscriptions as the only way customers access certain services. According to BMW South Korea’s website, several functions on consumer BMWs have been rebranded as the “connected booster package,” locking off certain digital functions behind a subscription-based paywall. […]
Ecological Emissions: BMW pushes sewage-based paints
Munich, Germany — BMW is partnering with BASF to develop the next generation of paints using an innovative new material—poop. Euphemistically dubbed “sustainable paints made from bio-waste,” these matte paints are part of the company’s focus on sustainability and reduced CO2 emissions. Most importantly, these new paints are chemically identical to previously manufactured body coatings and […]
Cyber Sorting: BMW-backed startup develops digital fingerprints for auto parts
Toronto, Ontario — A BMW-affiliated tech company has developed a piece of technology that allows automakers and suppliers to track and authenticate parts across supply chains and distribution systems through a digital fingerprinting system. According to the CEO of Bellevue, Wash.-based Alitheon, Roei Ganzarski, the company’s technology is able to authenticate tiny surface characteristics within […]
Save Yourself: Former IIHS president ‘wouldn’t be here to talk’ about near-fatal 2021 crash, if not for safety ratings
Arlington, Virginia — Do you ever have those moments where you catch up with a favour you did for yourself in the past? Like putting a note in your calendar to cancel a free trial before you get charged. Well, the former president of the IIHS, Adrian Lund, has himself to thank for crucial vehicle safety […]
Oh Snap: BMW announces autonomous driving platform for 2025
Munich, Germany – BMW has partnered with tech companies Qualcomm and Arriver, announcing its goal to release a new autonomous driving system in 2025. Dubbed Snapdragon Ride, German carmaker says their level three system can drive autonomously but requires the driver to take over the vehicle’s controls within seconds of notification. Despite the name, Snapdragon […]
Spilled Ink: BMW unveils concept vehicle with colour-changing E Ink paint at CES 2022
Las Vegas, Nevada — BMW unveiled a chameleon-like concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show this week that utilizes a popular e-reader technology to provide multiple colour shade possibilities on a single vehicle. The German automaker showed off a prototype version of the BMW iX featuring E Ink technology applied to the vehicle’s paint, allowing […]
Bimmer Beware: BMW drivers display more psychopathic tendencies than other drivers, claims study
Toronto, Ontario — It might be in your best interest to stay on the good side of BMW drivers, as a recent survey from Scrap Car Comparison showed that drivers of that particular brand, as well as EV and vanity plate owners, display the most psychopathic tendencies. In an absolutely worthwhile and important survey, Scrap […]
Future Fruit: BMW to use BlackBerry QNX to develop automation technology
Waterloo, Ontario — BMW is the latest automaker to take a bite out of the berry as Blackberry Limited announced that it has entered a multi-year agreement with the company to develop automation technology. As part of the agreement, BlackBerry will license its QNX technology to BMW Group, as well as assign a team of […]
Robotic Results: BMW robot-applied paint repairable by humans
Munich, Germany — BMW recently announced that it was testing new robotically-applied paint technology on some M4 Coupes, but wants to reassure all the flesh-based refinishers out there that the work can still be repaired by puny humans. This new technology from BMW allows the application of several colours and designs to its cars’ bodywork […]
