What is BMW iDrive?

iDrive is the name given to BMW's infotainment system. But how does it work and what can it do? Keep reading to find out.

BMW's iDrive infotainment system was first introduced in the BMW 7 Series back in 2001. Over the years, it's evolved significantly, and in 2024 the latest iDrive 9 offers a cutting-edge, smartphone-like experience in many new BMW models. It's availanble across a wide range of cars, from the entry-level BMW 1 Series up to the luxurious BMW 8 Series flagship, and provides a streamlined interface for controlling navigation, entertainment, and in-car settings.

The most recent iDrive system focuses on a new user interface, AI-powered voice commands, augmented reality navigation and wireless smartphone integration, all over which can be kept up to dat via over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

Why does BMW iDrive exist?

Cars have evolved beyond simple dashboards full of buttons. Modern vehicles needd an intuitive and streanmline system to manage myriad features from satellite navigation and advanced driver assistance to entertainment. Rather than cluttering the dashboard with physical controls, iDrive consolidates these functions into an infotainment screen, which is now more responsive and feature-packed than ever, all with the aim of allowing easy access to more systems while reducing distractions during driving. 

What features does BMW iDrive have?

BMW iDrive has evolved consideraby since its debut in 2001, bringing in a range of features designed to enhance your driving experience. Earlier models have included an iDrive controller – a rotary dial with physical buttons to navigate menus without toucing the screen. Later models included a touchscreen interface, too.

Voice commands have been available for several years, allowing hands-free control over certain systems, although its accuracy was somewhat inconsistent. Another feature brought in was Gesture Control, which on certain models let you adjust the sound system by moving your hand around. Again, it was inconsistent in its operation. Gesture Control and the iDrive rotary dial were dropped from 2025.

 iDrive features its own navigation system with real-time traffic updates, although if you want to use Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps or similar, smartphone integration through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is now standard, and wireless on the most recent cars.

From iDrive 9 in 2025, the system features augmented reality navigation, which displays guidance on the head-up display or on the infotainment screen. The voice command system is now an AI-enhanced "Intelligent Personal Assistant" that should be more effective at understanding natural language, and the interface has been optimised for touchscreen-only operation.

How do I operate BMW iDrive?

At its simplest, you operate BMW iDrive using the scroll wheel control on the centre console. However, with the addition of touchscreens, gesture controls and voice commands, the scroller is just one of several ways to operate the infotainment system.

Despite these advancements, in pre-2025 cars the iDrive scroll wheel remains core control method, and for good reason. If you've ever tried to operate a touchscreen while you're driving, you'll know the challenge – glancing from the road to the screen while trying to keep a steady hand on bumpy roads, especially for righties using their left hand, is far from ideal.

The iDrive solves all of these problems. The fixed control never moves and is easy to locate without looking. Unlike a touchscreen, where a single misplaced tap can send you off course, iDrive’s structured menus keep navigation straightforward and predictable.

The scroll wheel itself is multi-functional. As well as rotating like a volume knob for scrolling through menus, it also moves forward, backward, left, and right, enabling quick navigation between different menu sections. Pressing down selects an option, much like a left-click on a computer mouse.

For cars with iDrive 9, you can use the touchscreen or voice commands. Alert the car's Intelligent Personal Assistant by saying "Hey BMW" and then asking for what you want. 

What functions does iDrive control?

Clustered around the pre-2025 iDrive rotary controller you'll find good old fashioned buttons. They allow you to navigate directly to the parts of the iDrive's infotainment screen that you use the most – radio, media, telephone, the central menu and things like that.

Some models – including the 3 Series, 5 Series and 8 Series – include an integrated touchpad the top of the controller that allows you to write letters (inputing a postcode, say) with your finger. It's clever but, unless you're left-handed, also a tricky procedure. The novelty quickly wears off.  

As far as touchscreens go, BMW's is one of the best . Functions that belong together – things like media and radio – are grouped together on tiles making them easier to find find and you can swipe through the tiles like you would on your phone. 

The screen also recognises pinch gestures, allowing you to quickly zoom in and out on the car's sat-nav map. Generally speaking, all BMW's screens are responsive and have crisp, clear and colourful graphics that make them a joy to look at. 

Proving that you can't have too many ways off controlling an infotainment screen, modern BMW's 

Naturally, you can also use voice commands, either by pressing the microphone button on the steering wheel or by setting an 'activation' word that springs the system into life when you say it. Like most manufacturer's systems, it's not as intuitive or as reliable as the smart speaker you have got at home – so you might be tempted to make that activation word something pretty sweary. 

Does BMW iDrive have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

If you want to use voice commands, at least with pre-2025 cars, you'll be far better off with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay – they understand what you want from them with frightening regularity. 

Apple CarPlay used to be something BMW had the cheek to charge you a subscription for – it does makes mistakes, we've all seen that 4 Series grille – but it's standard fit as of 2019. Android Auto, meanwhile, was added in 2020 and can be downloaded on cars running BMW's 7 operating system. 

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, of course, allow you to the mirror the screen of your smartphone and uses its apps – for navigation, music and a whole range of other things – on your BMW's plush big screen, as well as your phone's reliable voice commands. They're both extremely handy. 

Does BMW iDrive have problems?

It's at this point that you should doff your cap to owners of the BMW 7 Series (the one that was on sale from 2001-2008). These selfless pioneers of BMW iDrive unearthed numerous glitches, usability issues and questionable design, so your experience should be a lot better. 

That's not to say iDrive is 100% glitch-free – it is a computer after all – but turning the car off and on again does tend to right the ship if it capsizes mid operation. 

Hardware problems will generally mean expensive fixes from a main dealer, but you'll usually find an independent specialist that can fix myriad problems at a fraction of the price. In the latest cars software issues are usually solved with a downloadable fix beamed straight from BMW direct to the car. 

What does the future hold for BMW iDrive?

As the boundaries of in-car technology are pushed further forward, the future of BMW iDrive is set to bring even more advanced features that aim to seamlessly integrate the various digital experiences of the day with driving. Several key developments are on the horizon, which BMW says will enhance convenience, safety, and user engagement.

From late 2025 , BMW will introduce Panoramic iDrive, a next-generation system set to debut in its Neue Klasse electric vehicle lineup. Unlike current models, which use a curved display, Panoramic iDrive will integrate a dashboard-wide digital screen with a more immersive and customisable interface. This system will likely replace traditional instrument clusters with a continuous digital display spanning the entire cockpit, providing real-time driving data, navigation, and entertainment options in a futuristic layout.

BMW is also developing an enhanced version of its AI-powered Intelligent Personal Assistant, incorporating large language models (LLMs) to make voice interactions more natural and conversational. Future versions of iDrive will allow drivers to engage in more complex, human-like conversations with the system, moving beyond simple commands. This means BMW vehicles will not only respond to commands but will also endeavour to anticipate driver needs, adjusting climate settings, suggesting routes, or even recommending a break when sensing driver fatigue.

The next iteration of augmented reality (AR) navigation will build upon the current system, adding head-up display projections that overlay navigation guidance, hazard alerts, and Points of Interest (POI) directly onto the road ahead. BMW says this will create a mixed-reality driving experience, where essential driving information is beamed onto the windscreen, appearing seamlessly in the driver’s field of view.

You can also expect future BMWs to feature deeper integration with smartphones and smart home ecosystems. Expanding on the BMW Digital Key Plus tech, upcoming vehicles may allow even more secure, keyless access through wearables like smartwatches or AR glasses. iDrive will be designed to work more intuitively with smart home assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, letting you control home devices such as lighting, security systems, or heating directly from your car.

OTA software updates are likely to develop, too. Future updates will not only refine the user interface but could also add new entertainment apps, driving assistance features, and AI-powered driving insights. BMW's goal is for every car to improve over time, rather than becoming outdated with aging hardware.