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      07-02-2013, 04:16 PM   #1
mbetoni
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iDrive Route Planning (or lack thereof)

Background: I'm a road tripper. Be it day trips or long distance adventures, it's a large part of my roadster ownership. As such, I like to plan routes out ahead of time.

Blanket statement: Google Maps (desktop) is the best route planning software I've used yet, with its ability to simply drag the blue route where you want it to go.

First method: Way back when I used a Garmin portable GPS and their route mapping software to create routes. Was a long, tedious, frankly dumb process (software was terrible), and in the end I usually winged it between the GPS and major destinations. Overall, fail.

Second method: Navigon app on the iPhone, which again allowed for some very rudimentary route planning, not very good. Again, winged it most of the time. Bigger fail.

Current setup: iDrive w/ Nav, iPhone connected via Tech Package (cable & bluetooth), BMW Assist, BMW Connected Drive app, Google Maps iPhone app, BMW remote app (unrelated, but FWIW). Now, why the Octopussy can't I plan a route in Google Maps desktop and get that route into the iDrive via all the above technology somehow?!? I can send individual destinations to the car from Google Maps, but I can't send entire routes. Tried this over the past weekend, and while I was able to successfully import these destinations into iDrive in sequence to create a three-destination trip, the route the nav picked between them was different than the route I planned. What did I do? Write down fricken directions to follow along the way, 1968-style. It's 2013! STILL fail.

Has anyone had any luck doing this better w/ iDrive? Is there anything else out there that can bridge the gap between iDrive and Google Maps (amazes me that neither Google's own Maps app or any of BMW's apps can)?

Any thoughts/discussion are welcome.
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      07-02-2013, 04:34 PM   #2
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I feel your pain. I also love to take long car trips and I send Google maps to my car's nav all the time. But all the nav gets is the destination, not the route. Nothing you can do about it. So here's the trick: Make several destinations along your trip: A to B to C to D...etc. and send each segment to the car from google maps. Label them so you can know which order they go in. Make them short enough so that the car's nav does redirect you to a shorter road or something. That's it.
It would be totally awesome if you could send the route as you planned it but it ain't happening.
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      07-03-2013, 06:41 PM   #3
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Technology is not the problem. BMW is. Or should I say their unwillingness to offer all the goodies that Europe gets. In Europe they offer BMW Routes https://www.bmw-routes.com/uk/en/abo...e-planning.jsp which sounds like exactly what you are looking for.

-M
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      07-03-2013, 08:00 PM   #4
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Concur with the second post.

I've found success by selecting intermediary destinations along the way, essentially treating them like waypoints.

The only issues I have with this are I can't get a 'time to final destination,' only 'time to next destination,' and if my next destination is in a different time zone, the nav screen will give me an arrival time in my current time zone... not in the local time of where I'm going.
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      07-03-2013, 08:58 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbetoni View Post
I was able to successfully import these destinations into iDrive in sequence to create a three-destination trip, the route the nav picked between them was different than the route I planned.
What if your route was suboptimal or highly traffic? Isn't the computer doing you a favor by rerouting?

You could also just look at the map and go where you want to go, and let the computer re-route or you could explore on your own and get lost then call up the nav when you are done exploring

Not quite an answer to your question but alternate way of thinking about the nav (facilitating spontaneity by removing fear of getting hopelessly lost vs. facilitating OCD trip planning )
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      07-03-2013, 09:59 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nicknaz View Post
What if your route was suboptimal or highly traffic? Isn't the computer doing you a favor by rerouting?

You could also just look at the map and go where you want to go, and let the computer re-route or you could explore on your own and get lost then call up the nav when you are done exploring

Not quite an answer to your question but alternate way of thinking about the nav (facilitating spontaneity by removing fear of getting hopelessly lost vs. facilitating OCD trip planning )
Nick, you clearly are living in a parallel universe. You're absolutely right about spontaneity - I've done that and it's cool. But the point here is that it would be cool if after spending time on Google maps charting out a great driving route, the car could take you by that route. When I did my ED I planned a route through the Bavarian Alps so that we would get to various points of interest. The only way to do it was to make frequent waypoints, and it worked fine (mostly).
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      07-04-2013, 01:59 AM   #7
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Indeed in the uk BMW have implemented google maps into the BMW connected drive service. I can plot routes online with a similar to google maps experience with waypoints and this is sent as is to the car.
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      07-04-2013, 03:44 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jparnes1 View Post
Nick, you clearly are living in a parallel universe.

spending time on Google maps charting out a great driving route, the car could take you by that route.
You're right.. I guess my usage pattern (as usual it seems) is quite different for "great driving routes" because I'm not actually trying to get anywhere specific when I do these way point trips. I just generally want curvy asphalt away from everyone else.

I use Google maps to find an appropriately curvy area, then I SWAG an address to get there, SWAG another address at a random intersection as a turnaround point and have gas station and home as other way points.
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      07-04-2013, 04:02 AM   #9
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Maybe there is a quite good workaround for your issue, at least functional with EU models:
  • Get "Tyre", a Google Maps based route planner (light version is sufficient for most purposes)
  • Plan your route with waypoints etc. in Tyre
  • Save route as "BMW file (tar.gz)"
  • Copy that file to an USB-stick (FAT32, not NTFS), in directory "\BMWData\Nav\"
  • Plug USB stick in the glove box USB-port of your E89
  • Press ignition
  • Choose "Navigation" / "Saved Routes" / "Import Routes" / "USB" / "OK" (as translated from my German user manual )
This is where I found the solution: Link

Best regards

Mick
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      07-04-2013, 08:49 AM   #10
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Cool, thanks, downloading now & will give it a try!

Just a warning: they have an advertiser on their page that places a huge "download" banner in the middle of the site ... that downloads some browser extension. The Tyre download button is on the top right.
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      07-04-2013, 09:42 AM   #11
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Read this and was about to say. when picking your options wiht idrive (in Europe that is) you gt several options not just the direct one.
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      07-04-2013, 10:57 AM   #12
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Nick & jp, great comments. Seems like we're all after the same thing, choosing a route that involves curvy roads, (so precious few here in Illinois!) with the final destination being secondary.

Here's what I've learned about doing it destination by destination: you need to be real specific about those destinations. Most of these roads are in the boonies, so picking a point on the road doesn't cut it, as a random point will have no 'address', it will simply be "County Road H" or the like. Seems like the best thing to do is by intersection (unless there's a specific business/etc with an address around), and there's probably a slight learning curve as to which to pick so the in car Nav doesn't go off the reservation when mapping the in-between route.

If astounds me that BMW's own Route Planner doesn't work for the states. We're only the manufacturer's largest single market. But, you know, we only want SAVs to get us from one McDonald's to the next. Thanks BMW.

Mick, very interesting, I'm going to check that out now. One thing I noticed from your directions, when I hear things like "fat32" and "NTFS", I think Windows. I'm on a Mac, so we'll see how that plays. I'll report back if I can get it to work!

UPDATE: As I suspected, Tyre is Windows-only (for now). Thanks for the suggestion though, it seems like Windows users might benefit.
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      07-04-2013, 12:56 PM   #13
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I'm working the the Tyre software. Will report back once I figure it out.
Mbetoni - sometimes you can use coordinates as a destination rather than an address or intersection, if that helps.
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      07-04-2013, 12:58 PM   #14
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Mick, when I try to save the route as a BMW file, I get a message that the file can't be found. Any thoughts?
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      07-04-2013, 01:26 PM   #15
mbetoni
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Also, for those interested, in searching for related information to this topic I found a neat site, roadtrippers dot com. Will come in handy for my next trip. Thought others might be interested.
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      07-04-2013, 06:43 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mick70 View Post
Maybe there is a quite good workaround for your issue, at least functional with EU models:
  • Get "Tyre", a Google Maps based route planner (light version is sufficient for most purposes)
  • Plan your route with waypoints etc. in Tyre
  • Save route as "BMW file (tar.gz)"
  • Copy that file to an USB-stick (FAT32, not NTFS), in directory "\BMWData\Nav\"
  • Plug USB stick in the glove box USB-port of your E89
  • Press ignition
  • Choose "Navigation" / "Saved Routes" / "Import Routes" / "USB" / "OK" (as translated from my German user manual )
This is where I found the solution: Link

Best regards

Mick
I saved a route to USB in the right folder. In "Saved Routes" how do I get to "Import Routes" ? I don't see the option. Thanks !
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      07-04-2013, 10:56 PM   #17
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OK I saved the route on the USB, but I don't have "saved routes" as an option in iDrive. Cuddapah, where do you see it?
Also, do you send the zip file to the usb or do you unzip it first?
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Last edited by jparnes1; 07-04-2013 at 11:28 PM..
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      07-04-2013, 11:31 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jparnes1 View Post
OK I saved the route on the USB, but I don't have "saved routes" as an option in iDrive. Cuddapah, where do you see it?
When you are in "Navigation", move the iDrive Controller to the left (you may have to do it twice). Screen will be split showing different options. One of options is "Stored Trips" not "Saved Trips" (Sorry). See attached picture.

Regarding importing trips, please see https://www.bmw-routes.com/uk/en/abo...p?page=&step=6
It says "Importing routes is a BMW ConnectedDrive innovation, which is available in all BMW models equipped with the 'Professional navigation system' option and the latest-generation iDrive operating system."

I don't know if Z4s come with Professional Navigation System .. mine is 2011 Z4.
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Last edited by cuddapah; 07-05-2013 at 06:41 AM..
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      07-05-2013, 07:32 AM   #19
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OK, this feature appears to be an EU thing. Too bad; that would have been sweet.
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      07-05-2013, 07:59 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jparnes1 View Post
OK, this feature appears to be an EU thing. Too bad; that would have been sweet.
Yep :-(
I can't store any trip either .. manual says:

Storing a trip
Up to 30 created trips can be stored in the trip list. If necessary, delete existing trips to be able to store new trips.
1. Open "Options".
2. "Store trip"
3. Enter the letters.
4. "OK"
The trip is stored in the trip list under the entered name.

Not sure why this doesn't work when "Stored Trips" is available.
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      07-05-2013, 08:38 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuddapah View Post
Yep :-(
I can't store any trip either .. manual says:

Storing a trip
Up to 30 created trips can be stored in the trip list. If necessary, delete existing trips to be able to store new trips.
1. Open "Options".
2. "Store trip"
3. Enter the letters.
4. "OK"
The trip is stored in the trip list under the entered name.

Not sure why this doesn't work when "Stored Trips" is available.
By storing trips they mean a trip that you've set up in the Nav, so it's not able to store trips from an external source.
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      07-13-2013, 09:05 AM   #22
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Just realized my bitchin' about the navigation system would have been more appropriate in this thread than where I posted it http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=863800

Sorry about that.
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