If you currently have a new-ish BMW with ConnectedDrive or BMW Assist features, such as SOS, BMW Assist eCall and Concierge Call, it’s likely you will lose your services starting January 1, 2017.
BMW isn’t doing this to you, mobile service providers are. These connected services use a 2G mobile connection and providers are going to be shutting down 2G connections after December 31, 2016. So it isn’t BMW taking a service away, it’s outdated technology being retired, or “sunsetting” as it’s called in the industry.
To find out if your car will be affected by this sunsetting of 2G technology, you can visit this BMW assistance website. Mostly, it will affect 2013 model year vehicles and older, but there are a few newer models that are affected as well, such as the 2014 X6, 2015 X1 and basically all BMW Z4s. So it’s a massive range of vehicles that will lose their services for the next year. However, fortunately, BMW has a couple of fix options for customers.
If your vehicle lost its services, you can get either a $200 Visa Gift Card, a voucher for $300 worth of BMW Lifestyle and Accessories and you can get your car retrofitted to have newer technology capable of getting your services back. Though, it could be around $199 yearly subscription.
This has to be somewhat annoying for BMW owners who will be losing their services. However, it isn’t BMWs fault, it’s just a dying technology.
[Source: CNET]
