BMW Assist (also branded as MINI Assist) is a telematic roadside assistance service offered by
BMW. BMW Assist is similar to GM's
OnStar
OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, China, ...
or
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquarte ...
mbrace services as they both use the cellular network and Global Positioning
telemetry
Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', "remote", an ...
to locate or guide the vehicle. BMW Assist can provide
turn-by-turn directions, remote unlocking, vehicle diagnostics, airbag deployment notification, theft recovery and towing or flat tire repair. The service is included free in most new BMWs. After expiration, it can be purchased at a yearly rate. As of March, 2016, BMW assist is undergoing a "technology upgrade" in the US, and renewals are not being processed for MY2013 and older models. BMW has provided no estimated time for completion. Those whose memberships have expired no longer have the advantages of the Safety or Convenience plans. Members who have active service as of December 31, 2016 will have a choice to receive $200 compensation for losing service or to receive a hardware retrofit to continue service. There is a population for whom BMW did not allow renewal between March and December 2016, thus forcing them out of safety and security features.
Technology
BMW Assist is integrated into the car's communication and audio systems. It works in conjunction with the navigation system (if equipped) or uses its own GPS equipment. The original BMW Assist system worked in conjunction with the
AMPS cellular network for data transmission and voice communication. Current BMW Assist systems work using the
GSM
The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation ( 2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile devices such ...
technology.
The car communicates via the cellular network with a
Back-end system that receives and analyzes the information. Both voice and data (via
SMS
Short Message/Messaging Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile devices exchange short text ...
or
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a packet oriented mobile data standard on the 2G and 3G cellular communication network's global system for mobile communications (GSM). GPRS was established by European Telecommunications Standards Ins ...
) is transmitted. Dependent of the application, the information is routed for example to a call-center or presented on a web-site.
Theft recovery
Theft recovery is an additional subscription service BMW Assist offers. This service is capable of tracking the location of the car via the car computer and GPS system.
Most BMW owners who are concerned about theft employ third party tracking options. These devices have many advantages, and disadvantages. Most devices are small, and can be placed virtually anywhere in the vehicle. Some higher end devices also contain small power sources. These devices may take longer for the thief to detect, and may be more difficult to disable. The BMW system however is tied into the car's computer system and cannot be removed without rendering the vehicle immobile. Additionally, the BMW system utilizes the car's power reserve to amplify the cellular signal to three Watts according to BMW's literature . Further signal gains are attributed to the use of the vehicle's large antenna which is several magnitudes larger than a cellphone antenna.
The BMW Assist system has an excellent track record if the theft is discovered within a short period of time.
See also
*
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
BMW Real Time Traffic information System
External links
ATX GroupWirelessCarBMW Navigation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bmw Assist
BMW
Vehicle telematics
Vehicle safety technologies