MINI is joining its parent-company in unveiling a new smartphone app that brings new features to the fingertips of its customers. MINI owners already had a smartphone app that allowed them to connect to the car wirelessly from a distance but now, with the new MINI App they get more functions, better UX and a new design that should streamline its usage.
The new MINI App comes with a lot of new features. Users can now see information about the vehicle and, given required options, can gain access to remote services such as locating the vehicle or locking and unlocking the doors. Destinations are also easier to input into the car’s navigation system, the new app allowing you to send them to the car from your phone. You can also use third-party app for that but even the standard map can now show traffic info, petrol stations, electric chargers and even parking facilities.
Electric cars and plug-in hybrid models haven’t been left out either. They have their own functions available in the new MINI App, showing the available range on your phone’s screen, the remaining charging time and others. You can even configure your charging options using your phone, setting various intervals and departure times, so that the car can pre-condition itself. Of course, customer service options haven’t been left out either, the app allowing you to contact roadside assistance if needed and even over-the-air assistance.
“With the new app generation, we are taking a further step in extending the digital customer experience around our vehicles and thus meeting the increased customer demand for digital services and functions,” said Peter Henrich, Senior Vice President BMW Group Connected Company Customer. “With the My BMW App and the MINI App, we seamlessly integrate our vehicles into the digital lifestyle of our customers. Both apps offer a lot of useful content both for the daily use of the vehicle and in the personal interaction with us as a brand, which we are continuously expanding”.
The app can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. For the moment, it’s available only for 30 European countries and Korea but by mid-2021 it’s supposed to become available in more than 40 countries and 23 languages.
