BMW offers electronic concierge service to Singapore owners

Starting from this month, BMW will offer an electronic concierge service to its car owners in Singapore under its 'ConnectedDrive' smart network technology.

Concierge service is common in other countries, such as in Germany and in the U.S. In Japan, Lexus is already offering operator assistance for destination information, which is transmitted directly to the car. 

BMW is the first automotive brand to launch a concierge service in Singapore.

The BMW ConnectedDrive concierge service will help drivers locate the place he wants to go, such as the nearest pharmacy or petrol station. The driver can also contact the call centre from across the causeway. The request will then be processed by the operator at the call centre, who will remotely programme the in-car navigation system for the driver.

Key to this service is a built-in SIM card with a global connection, which is found in virtually the entire range of BMW models available here.

This service is offered free-of-charge to BMW owners for the first three years, after which it will be an option. Subscription to the full package of ConnectedDrive services is expected to cost around $450 a year.

But even if a BMW driver does not subscribe to it, he will still get access to Intelligent Emergency Call. This service is free and automatically connects to the BMW Call Centre when a serious accident happens. Sensors relay information in the event of, for example, the airbag deploying, the car overturning, or if water is flooding the vehicle. The call centre will then attempt to contact the occupants and if there is no reply, initiate rescue.

Another useful feature of the ConnectedDrive service program is Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI), which makes it the first of its kind in Singapore to sport this feature. The system compiles traffic data to provide the driver with useful information, such as traffic jam or traffic accidents. The system will also suggest an alternative route if a destination has been set.