Send destination to the car

BMW i3 has a large screen ideal for navigation. Google is outstanding at finding your destination. It is possible to combine the best of both worlds.
In the post 'Send destination to the car' on bmwi3owner.com it is described how to use the iRemote app to google a business or contact and then send the location to the car for navigation.
It should however also be possible to use the Google maps desktop version and use the 'send to car' functionality but this does not seem to be working. I can register the car and send the location (even get a confirmation on the google maps page that the location has been sent), but nothing shows in the i3. Has anyone succeeded?

I do this a lot using the BMW Connected Drive web site.

bmwi3ownercom said:

Has anyone succeeded?

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Yes, I've frequently sent destinations from Google Maps in Safari under Mac OS X to my U.S. i3. The destinations appear in an unexpected (by me) location within iDrive: "Messages" ("Meddelanden" ??). However, it sometimes takes several hours for the destination to appear in iDrive, so a destination is not always available when I need it even though Google Maps has printed that the destination has been sent.

I suspect flakiness with BMW's connected services might be to blame. It is likely that Swedish i3's communicate with a different BMW server than U.S. i3's. You might try logging in to your account at the BMW ConnectedDrive Website to see if everything looks correct. If you can send a destination from your ConnectedDrive account successfully (I don't see a way to do that on the U.S. ConnectedDrive Website), that would indicate that the BMW ConnectedDrive server is communicating with your i3 but maybe not with Google Maps.

Hi,

Is there any functionality to send a destination on https://www.bmw-connecteddrive.com ? I cannot find it.

There is functionality like that on https://www.bmw-routes.com, but I cannot get it to work either. I can make a route and send it to the car. It says “Ihre Route wurde erfolgreich gespeichert und an Ihr Fahrzeug übertragen” wich for a person that knows limited German means "successfully saved and sent to car". However, I cannot find anything in the car. The web page says that I am logged in and states my name so obviously it has connected successfully.

bmwi3ownercom said:

Is there any functionality to send a destination on https://www.bmw-connecteddrive.com ? I cannot find it.

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For me, in the UK, it is under "My Services"... "My Info"

Definitely works. It's a function that's common across recent BMW models, not unique to the i3. I have been using it for six years. Destinations show up in the inbox of both my E90 and i3. The few times it hasn't worked, it's typically a Google issue. They dropped the function initially from the revamped version of Maps. You had to resort to the old version to get it for almost a year. If you keep having issues with messages not appearing, check with your local BMW Assist agent to make sure the email you're using at Google Maps matches the one associated with your account.

For me, in the UK, it is under "My Services"... "My Info"

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My connected drive (in Sweden) has three menu items 1) Status, 2) eServices, 3) Settings. Under 2) eServices there are submenus 2a) Mobility, 2b) Start times, 2c) Efficiency. There is a map under 2a) Mobility where I can see my car and range curves for eco and eco pro but I am not able to google destinations nor send any to the car. Pity.

Definitely works. I have been using it for six years. They dropped the function initially from the revamped version of Maps.

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I had it working in the old google maps, but never in the new version. Interesting that you have it working - it gives me hope I have been in contact with BMW customer service but they have only given confusing answers so far but has promised to get back to me...

I use "Send to my car" from desktop Google map at the time. However, I found this service is not very reliable. Quite a few times, the destination message take DAYS to reach the car. It looks like their server hangs once in awhile. Once it is restarted, the messages are released and flood to my car.

BMW customer centre called and said that ’Send to car’ will only work if the car is equipped with ‘6AK ConnectedDrive Services’ and I did not purchase the three year subscription for SEK 3400 (EUR 360). Had I purchased this module I would see ‘My Services’ in the ConnectedDrive portal and would be able to send a destination from Google maps to the car. It is currently not possible to purchase this alternative after a car has been delivered but they are looking into this.

Meanwhile I can confirm that it is possible to send a destination from the map section of the iRemote app so I stick to this. Or more likely I just use navigation from Google maps in my phone…