BMW is stepping up the in-car entertainment game, bringing an improved video streaming experience to its customers. Now, in addition to the BMW Theatre Screen with Amazon Fire TV in the rear of the BMW 7 Series, users can enjoy a variety of video content on the central display. Developers at BMW teamed up with XPERI, Inc. to optimize the TiVo Operating System for in-vehicle video streaming. This collaboration led to the integration of the DTS AutoStage Video Service powered by TiVo, offering a range of entertainment options, including live channels and on-demand media libraries with news, sports, kids’ shows, movies, and TV series. An important note: unless equipped with a Level 3+ self-driving function, the streaming will not work while in motion, at least in most countries due to regulations.
To access this feature, vehicles need to have BMW Operating System 8.5 with ConnectedDrive Professional or BMW Operating System 9 with BMW Digital Premium. Initially introduced in the new BMW 5 Series, this platform is now being rolled out to other luxury class models like the BMW 7 Series, BMW iX, BMW X5, BMW X6, BMW X7, BMW X5 M, BMW X6 M, and BMW XM. Owners of vehicles with BMW Operating System 9 and BMW Digital Premium gained access to the video app at the end of 2023. The plan is to extend availability to other models in 2024, such as the BMW X2 and all vehicles within the new MINI family.
This video streaming platform is now available in the USA, UK, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, with Japan soon to follow. Popular portals include Pluto TV, Bloomberg, TED, Yahoo!, and Chili, with additional country-specific options like JOYN, ZDF, Tagesschau, Deutsche Welle in Germany; RaiPlay in Italy; TF1 in France; Tubi, Gusto TV, and Journy in the USA; and Abema TV, NHK Plus, TVer, Hulu Japan, NTV NEWS NNN in Japan.
BMW says the video streaming platform’s portfolio will continue to develop and gradually roll out to other countries.
