[rishi_kapoor]

Hi Folks,

Good news first, I just upgraded my 320d (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...hp-family.html) to a brand new 520d SportLine. Will be writing a complete ownership review soon.

Now my new BMW came without Apple CarPlay enabled, BMW India is selling this is as a premium feature only on 530d MSport. Being an Apple user forever I was disappointed that this was not even available as an option to purchase from BMW India.

So, I did my research and found a solution on internet by www.bimmercarplay.com I was sceptical to make a payment fearing loosing my money and even worse to have my card details misused. So very reluctantly I wrote to bimmercarplay guys and found them very professional in their approach. They assured me that they have PCI enabled encrypted credit card gateway and I can make payment with confidence, they also assured me of a complete refund in case solution did not work on my car.

After taking my VIN number they informed me that Apple CarPlay can be enabled in my car and I can go ahead and purchase the solution from their secure website.

Within an hour of making the payment I received a file in my email account along with detailed instructions.

I did following steps to install the file using USB interface of my car:

1. Formatted a 4 GB USB with Fat32 and copied file from email onto USB drive.
2. Deleted my iphone from BMW devices menu.
3. Deleted BMW from my iphone's bluetooth menu.
4. Started the car
5. Inserted USB in center console and waited for 30 seconds.
6. Restarted iDrive by pressing power button for 20 seconds.
7. Connected my phone to car when prompted
8. Selected my phone from mobile device menu and selected Apple CarPlay.
Voila! it worked.

I did this in 2 phases as I had to drive back home in between but it was pretty straight forward process. I have tried calling and reading/sending text messages using Siri and it is amazing. It even reads out WhatsApp messages. I am yet to try out more and will keep all of you posted.

Important update here

Here is a video that I made, hope it helps some of you:

Here is the YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/V1JvcPZOQWE

[Akshay1234]

That's a great and easy solution to activate carplay. Nice price too. Do you have to keep the USB drive always inserted to activate carplay?

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by Akshay1234

That's a great and easy solution to activate carplay. Nice price too. Do you have to keep the USB drive always inserted to activate carplay?

No Akshay, it's permanent one time activation.

[M00M]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Hi Folks,

Good news first, I just upgraded

Congratulations on the upgrade to the 520d sport. A quick question: is the apple car play functioning wirelessly or are you connecting via the lightening cable.

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by M00M

Congratulations on the upgrade to the 520d sport. A quick question: is the apple car play functioning wirelessly or are you connecting via the lightening cable.

Hi, I have tried both. By cable it is tad faster as compared to wirelessly.

[GTO]

Wow! Congrats on both, the car & the carplay activation.

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

BMW India is selling this is as a premium feature only on 530d MSport

What kind of an idiot makes such a decision at BMW India? Someone spending 60 lakhs doesn't get a useful feature that's standard in Maruti hatchbacks today .

Many thanks for this thread! Am going to add it to our homepage too so that other G30 owners don't miss it.

Question: Is there *any way* that owners of older BMWs such as mine (F10) can get Android Auto?

[the_skyliner]

Wow, great! Looks like a straight forward solution.

Thank a lot for letting us know.

Have sent an email to them asking if it can be activated on 3GT 2017. Waiting for their reply.

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by GTO

Wow! Congrats on both, the car & the carplay activation.







What kind of an idiot makes such a decision at BMW India? Someone spending 60 lakhs doesn't get a useful feature that's standard in Maruti hatchbacks today .



Many thanks for this thread! Am going to add it to our homepage too so that other G30 owners don't miss it.



Question: Is there *any way* that owners of older BMWs such as mine (F10) can get Android Auto?

Thanks GTO. Car review will be posted shortly as well after my business travel.

The best solution for Android phones is mirroring. There is a company "Bimmer tech" that provides that solution. Little bit of DIY involved. There is no official BMW solution for Android though.

[the_skyliner]

Got a reply from them. Unfortunately, their solution will not work unless the iDrive is the one with touch screen.

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by GTO

Wow! Congrats on both, the car & the carplay activation.







What kind of an idiot makes such a decision at BMW India? Someone spending 60 lakhs doesn't get a useful feature that's standard in Maruti hatchbacks today .



Many thanks for this thread! Am going to add it to our homepage too so that other G30 owners don't miss it.



Question: Is there *any way* that owners of older BMWs such as mine (F10) can get Android Auto?

GTO, checked with them. They have similar solution for Android Auto too. Drop a line to them and see compatibility with your Bimmer's VIN. Cheers.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

GTO, checked with them. They have similar solution for Android Auto too. Drop a line to them and see compatibility with your Bimmer's VIN. Cheers.

Hi Rishi,

Do you have their website / link for Android Auto ? I could not find Android in the Menu on their homepage.

I am a little doubtful as I am a hardcore Android user with a 2017 X1 and their Carplay is compatible with 2018 X1 models only.
Hoping their Android Auto solution (if they have) is compatible with a 2017 X1

[Flyer]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Voila! it worked.

Wow, that's cool. Looks like a very simple solution. I hope BMW India is reading your post. Can you share how much you paid for if its ok with you? Dosen't BMW have something like VCDS for VW/Audi?

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Hi Rishi,



Do you have their website / link for Android Auto ? I could not find Android in the Menu on their homepage.



I am a little doubtful as I am a hardcore Android user with a 2017 X1 and their Carplay is compatible with 2018 X1 models only.

Hoping their Android Auto solution (if they have) is compatible with a 2017 X1

Hi Soumyajit, I may have misunderstood mirroring to Android Auto. Drop them a mail for clarification.

Originally Posted by Flyer

Wow, that's cool. Looks like a very simple solution. I hope BMW India is reading your post. Can you share how much you paid for if its ok with you? Dosen't BMW have something like VCDS for VW/Audi?

Hi, I paid $250 for Apple CarPlay. I am not sure about VCDS?

[Games Goblin]

Originally Posted by GTO

What kind of an idiot makes such a decision at BMW India?

This guy at BMW must be friends with his equivalent at Porsche.

Recently, I got to travel in a 2015 Porsche Cayenne diesel.

That car did not have:

• Bluetooth audio streaming
• reverse camera
• Navigation
• Lumbar adjustment for the seats (yes, not even manual adjustment - upon going through the owners manual, it was indicated that lumbar adjustment was an "option" on higher trim levels)

The head unit looked like something out of a 2007 Porsche.

I guess for getting all the above features, the owner would have to order them as optional extras so that more money can be gouged out of him / her.

On road price of the car the owner has paid : 1.3 cr

Some of these German marques are clearly taking the customers for a ride.

[joy_swift]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Hi Folks,

I have tried calling and reading/sending text messages using Siri and it is amazing. It even reads out WhatsApp messages. I am yet to try out more and will keep all of you posted.

Apple Carplay is provided by Maruti even in Swift which costs 6L.It is there in my Jeep Compass which maybe costs 1/3rd of your car.

To not have Apple Carplay or Android Auto in cars which cost north of 40L(starting with X1,3 series etc) is an insane decision.What are the BMW guys thinking in these times of technological advancement?