Telematics

Telematics services such as ConnectedDrive Services and BMW TeleServices give you the information you want, when you want it. They provide you with information about your route, your destination and other useful travel facts.

Telematics is the combination of information and communications technology to send and receive data via telecommunications devices. It is used chiefly inInternet, telephone and mobile communication services as well as in vehicle telematics. Vehicle telematics can assist the driver in a wide range of situations and deliver useful information directly to the vehicle. BMW Telematics improves mobility and increases traffic safety. 

The BMW telematics services – ConnectedDrive Services and BMW TeleServices – are part of our BMW ConnectedDrive concept and aim to be the ideal connection of driver and vehicle to the outside world. The services intelligently combine the BMW Navigation system Professional with the built-in mobile SIM. BMW provides a wide range of tailored information, which includes up-to-date, location-based traffic news sent straight to your vehicle. In order to do this, numerous detailed pieces of traffic information are gathered (e.g from other BMW drivers) and sent to the vehicle using GPS technology. The built-in navigation system takes this data into consideration and calculated the most effective route. 

Meanwhile, BMW TeleServices monitors the condition of key wearing parts like brake pads or engine oil and, if required, even contacts your BMW Service Centre automatically to arrange a service.

The Concierge Services provides you with information like addresses and telephone numbers or recommendations for hotels, restaurants and places of interest. You can rely on the Telematics Service to come to your aid in an emergency: the vehicle automatically sends out a signal that communicates your location and passes on details about the accident to rescue personnel.

Trailer Stability Control

The trailer stability control system ensures superior stability and safety when towing - and keeps your BMW and trailer steadily on course.

With increasing speed, trailers tend to swing from side to side, and may even swing out of control. This is especially the case for heavier trailer loads or if the weight of the trailer load is not distributed evenly: even at relatively low speeds, a swaying motion can arise. This can destabilise both the trailer and the towing vehicle unless a stabilising measure quickly intervenes.

The trailer stability control system integrated in DSC recognizes the early signs of this dangerous swinging motion. It activates the brakes immediately to slow the trailer down and return stability. 

It discerns this danger by constantly monitoring the rotation movement of the vehicle using special sensors. 

If these values exceed the safe limit, trailer stability control activates the brakes on all four wheels via the DS hydraulics. Simultaneously, the engine output is reduced. The resulting drop in speed brings the trailer back to stability. As soon as stability is restored, the driver is again in full control of the vehicle's speed. If the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system is deactivate, the trailer stability control feature is also deactivated.

Turbocharger

Welcome to the turbo class: Turbochargers in BMW engines optimise torque development, improve performance and reduce consumption.

An engine’s performance and efficiency depend on the amount of oxygen in the combustion chambers. More oxygen available means more fuel released and improved performance. A turbocharger uses the otherwise unexploited energy from the exhaust gases to provide more oxygen for combustion; this is done by means of a compressor powered by a turbine fan, which compresses the air taken in. This increases the pressure in the engine’s air intake manifold and thus fills the cylinders. The result is improved performance and more torque over a broad plateau. Modern turbo technology simultaneous reduces consumption and emissions. 

In addition to optimising their response and dynamics as well as improving their performance and consumption, BMW uses the principle of double charging for its most powerful turbo engines in each class. Depending on the technology involved, two separate turbochargers from one exhaust pipe or one turbocharger from two separate exhaust pipes are used. In particularly powerful models like the BMW X5, these Twin Scroll turbos even provide the engine with air. 

Use of two turbochargers:
Two different technologies come into play when two turbochargers are used. The bi-turbo technology uses two equally large turbochargers set up parallel to each other. Each turbo supplies half of the cylinders with pre-compressed air. Combined with the high-precision injection, this technology enables particularly effortless power output and very low consumption. 

In contrast, the Variable Twin Turbo technology used in BMW diesel engines uses a large and a small turbocharger connected in series. At low speeds air enters the inactive large turbocharger and is compressed in the small one. At mid-range speeds the air in the large turbocharger is pre-compressed before being highly compressed in the small turbocharger. At high speeds only the large turbocharger is in use. This two-tiered charging enables extremely low consumption values, in relation to performance, and easy to control response from the powerful BMW diesel engines.

Use of a turbocharger:
BMW Twin Scroll technology consists of a sole turbocharger driven through two exhaust pipes. As it does with two smaller turbochargers this double charging causes a quicker build-up of pressure and thus more direct engine response. However the Twin Scroll turbo takes up less space and saves weight. The result: better dynamics, improved performance, less consumption.

The combination of tailor-made charging technology with the BMW High Precision Injection and "VALVETRONIC" (Otto engines) or the 3rd generation (diesel) common rail direct ignition is called BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. It enables a unique combination of efficiency and dynamics. 

Twelve-Cylinder Engines

The only thing that matters – the twelve-cylinder engine combines excellent power delivery with practically vibration-free smooth running across the entire rev range.

The secret of the extraordinarily smooth running of the BMW twelve-cylinder engine lies in the number of cylinders and their positioning. Two cylinder banks arranged at a 60° angle to each other each hold six cylinders in a row. This balances the inertial forces perfectly and minimises vibrations. The small spark gap between the cylinders reduces vibrations and oscillations in the power drive and ensures unusually smooth running. 
The use of pioneering technology is the reason behind the phenomenal potential of the BMW twelve-cylinder V engine – the unique BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with High Precision Injection, the direct petrol injection system, enables a high compression ratio and thus peak values of 400 kW (544 hp) and 750 Nm maximum torque. In this special technique, petrol is injected directly into each cylinder and mixed with compressed air from two turbochargers before being ignited. Optimal flux and the ideal current in the exhaust system ensure a direct response from the turbochargers. Working together with the variable camshaft control system, double-Vanos, the valve timing is precisely tuned to the engine's requirements. This enables the 6.0-litre engine to fully develop its enormous potential for performance and torque while still delivering excellent fuel efficiency and low emission levels.

The V12 boasts a number of other standard-setting innovations, including the liquid-cooler generator and the exhaust system with catalysts close to the engine and exhaust-gas recirculation. No other engine delivers such a combination of outstanding dynamics, smooth performance and excellent efficiency.

Total consumption (combined): 12.9 to 13.0 l/100 km
CO2 emissions: 299 to 303 g/km

Further information about the official fuel consumption and the official specific CO2 emissions for new passenger automobiles can be obtained from the ‘The Passenger Car (Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions Information) Regulations’, which are available free of charge at all sales outlets and from this address: DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany.

Tyre Defect Indicator

The Tyre Defect Indicator (TDI) alerts you immediately if pressure in a tyre drops, enhancing safety and helping prevent further tyre damage. This electronic system lights a warning symbol in the instrument panel (supplemented by a warning system in some models) in the event of tyre damage.

If the pressure in a tyre drops, the tyre’s radius shrinks and, as a result, the wheel rotation speed rises. TDI uses sensors to monitor the rate at which the wheels rotate and the Anti-lock Brake System, ABS, compares the data for individual wheels. 

This means that TDI recognises pressure loss when one wheel is rotating at a different speed to the others. An even loss of pressure in two or more wheels (natural diffusion) is not registered, so regular checkups are the best way of keeping your tyres in good condition. TDI needs to be initialised in order to function correctly.

Tyre Pressure Control System

The tyre pressure control system (RDC) uses sensors on all four wheels to electronically monitor the tyre pressure. Depending on the model and the equipment fitted, the tyre pressure indicator enables the current tyre pressure to be monitored in the Control Display or the instrument panel.

If there is a difference in pressure, the driver receives a warning signal in good time indicating the possible danger, and information on the affected tyre appears in the display.

To ensure that the tyre pressure indicator functions reliably and precisely, the wheels must be fitted with compatible sensors. Information on the sensors for the various different BMW models is available from your BMW dealer.

After the tyres have been correctly inflated following a tyre change, the tyre pressure indicator must be reset in order to ensure that the tyre pressure control functions correctly.* Details on how to do so can be found in the operating instructions.

Tyre pressure is also dependent on the temperature of the tyre. When the temperature of the tyre rises (e.g. because of exposure to sunlight or when the vehicle is being driven), the filling pressure increases. Pressure may drop when the temperature of the tyre decreases. When the drop in temperature is extreme, this can trigger a warning. For this reason, the tyre pressure should be checked at regular intervals (“cold tyres”).

Emergency spare wheels are not equipped with sensors. If an emergency spare wheel is fitted after a pressure loss has been displayed, the warning message remains in the display until a new wheel with an appropriate sensor has been fitted. When a tyre is damaged suddenly by external factors, it is not possible to issue a warning in good time.

* Standard tyre-inflation units have a measurement tolerance of +/- 0.15 bar.

Tyres - Reduced Rolling resistance

Resistance is useless - so these tyres are manufactured with special materials that enable the tyres to roll with less resistance, reducing fuel consumption.

Every time a vehicle drives along a road surface, the shape of its tyres becomes distorted. Depending on the contact surface and the air pressure of the tyre, this distortion can cost significant amounts of energy, reducing fuel efficiency. 

BMW overcomes this problem by using tyres with reduced rolling resistance: special heat-resistant, anti-distortion materials in the side wall and tread helps maintain the shape of the tyres, ensuring they roll smoothly.
Thanks to their innovative design, tyres with reduced rolling resistance deliver a smoother ride, improve fuel efficiency and lead to a reduction in emissions.