Book a Seat at Your Favorite Restaurant with BMW Connected Service

Given our ever-increasing technological world, the folks over at BMW are taking a particular interest in ways for their drivers to remain safe by keeping an ever-vigilant eye on the road, rather than checking their smartphones. That is to say, the luxury car maker has put an increasing interest in technologies which allow for said drivers to do just that: to keep their eyes in front of them rather than looking down. One such technology, then, is a digital helper, BMW Connected,  that is allowing drivers to locate a restaurant in the nearby proximity. Users will be able to do things like find restaurants with free tables, books seats and even find the best route to go about getting there.

Dieter May, head of the manufacturer’s digital services and business models unit, told reporters that the company intends this technology to be a part of their new cloud-based BMW Connected service, which, too, will include a number of applications other than the restaurant finder (like, for instance, a home-heating remote control app). May also noted that the automaker intends to make their BMW Connected service available in the next few months.

In such a competitive climate, it is no wonder that automakers like BMW are taking the steps necessary to compete with the likes of mega-corporations such as Apple and Google, both of who have expressed interest in entering the automotive industry with connected vehicles. These corporations, of course, have stretched themselves far and wide into other industries before (Google has not simply just remained a search engine, as Apple has not simply just remained a computer company). Both of these companies, too, significantly changed the other markets they would enter (just look at the smartphone in general for the best example; can you imagine a world without an iPhone or Android?). However, May—who joined the automaker after leaving Finnish technology producer, Nokia, in 2014—remains optimistic about BMW’s chances. “We have the right assets to survive in this game,” he says. “We don’t know how it’ll end. I think no one knew five years ago how the smartphone game would end.” May also noted that BMW has been in talks with weather forecasters to offer more content with regard to their BMW Connected service.

All of this is simply good business for BMW. Mobile communications offers huge opportunities for new business with regard to the automotive industry. In fact, the connectivity components and revenue from data streams provide an estimate at roughly a $196 billion market y 2020, this, according to McKinsey & Co., a consultant from last year. Therefore, May’s unit, which has offices in Chicago, Munich, and Shanghai (employing nearly 150 individuals) are working day and night to come one with new digital products to come in the next few years.

Keep checking back in here with us at BMW of Elmhurst for more information with regard to BMW’s new BMW Connected service.