[russelldav]

I had the opportunity to try the SOS button in anger this evening. Here's my experience dialling from Vancouver, BC. The approx. time elapsed in minutes is shown in [brackets]...

[0] <Press Button>

iDrive displays emergency call active, street address and GPS coordinates. No other iDrive buttons or steering wheel buttons now respond.

Screen says "transferring data". Nothing else happens. Steering wheel phone button will not end call. Neither does pressing SOS again.

[2] Eventually dialling sound begins and appears to be coming from dedicated speaker under steering wheel.

BMW Concierge answers and asks what they can do to help. I ask for the Police. Lady asks me to hold.

[3] Lady comes back off mute and I can hear her typing furiously. Goes back on mute.

[5] Ringing sound and I am connected to US telematics service guy. Agent asks me which emergency service. I say Police. He then asks me for the address. He does not understand me and I have to spell it out to him. He asks if I can clarify whether I am in Canada or the USA.

[6] Telematics Agent calls Telus Operator (Canada) and asks to patch through a VOIP call to the Police.

Telus Operator agrees, spouts loads of technical jargon, Agent provides a 7 digit ID number and phone continues to ring. Police answer but advise this is "Northern Service Centre" and they need my exact location to direct my call.

[7] I listen to yet another exchange of Operator / Agent speaking nonsense and asking for VOIP patch throughs.

[8] Finally a lady in a Vancouver based Emergency Call Centre answers and ask which emergency service I require. This now finally sounds like a normal 911 call. The Telematics Agent states police on my behalf and we are connected to Vancouver PD. The Telematics Agent then proceeds to explain that I am in trouble and gives the street address I spelled out (I am not in trouble and have not been asked for any details besides my location). This is not precise so the police ask for more details. When I speak no one seems to hear me.

[9] Eventually I am patched back in to the call and seemingly left to discuss the matter with the police myself.

Luckily this was NOT an emergency - I had witnessed someone skid off the road and crash, and they were fortunately not hurt. I thought I'd call it in that's all. I now wish I had just dialled 911 from my handset or the car phone keypad.

[kkpat]

Originally Posted by russelldav

I had the opportunity to try the SOS button in anger this evening. Here's my experience dialling from Vancouver, BC. The approx. time elapsed in minutes is shown in [brackets]...

[0] <Press Button>

iDrive displays emergency call active, street address and GPS coordinates. No other iDrive buttons or steering wheel buttons now respond.

Screen says "transferring data". Nothing else happens. Steering wheel phone button will not end call. Neither does pressing SOS again.

[2] Eventually dialling sound begins and appears to be coming from dedicated speaker under steering wheel.

BMW Concierge answers and asks what they can do to help. I ask for the Police. Lady asks me to hold.

[3] Lady comes back off mute and I can hear her typing furiously. Goes back on mute.

[5] Ringing sound and I am connected to US telematics service guy. Agent asks me which emergency service. I say Police. He then asks me for the address. He does not understand me and I have to spell it out to him. He asks if I can clarify whether I am in Canada or the USA.

[6] Telematics Agent calls Telus Operator (Canada) and asks to patch through a VOIP call to the Police.

Telus Operator agrees, spouts loads of technical jargon, Agent provides a 7 digit ID number and phone continues to ring. Police answer but advise this is "Northern Service Centre" and they need my exact location to direct my call.

[7] I listen to yet another exchange of Operator / Agent speaking nonsense and asking for VOIP patch throughs.

[8] Finally a lady in a Vancouver based Emergency Call Centre answers and ask which emergency service I require. This now finally sounds like a normal 911 call. The Telematics Agent states police on my behalf and we are connected to Vancouver PD. The Telematics Agent then proceeds to explain that I am in trouble and gives the street address I spelled out (I am not in trouble and have not been asked for any details besides my location). This is not precise so the police ask for more details. When I speak no one seems to hear me.

[9] Eventually I am patched back in to the call and seemingly left to discuss the matter with the police myself.

Luckily this was NOT an emergency - I had witnessed someone skid off the road and crash, and they were fortunately not hurt. I thought I'd call it in that's all. I now wish I had just dialled 911 from my handset or the car phone keypad.

: I would never use that. Thanks for sharing.

[JFU]

The real value of the system comes when you crash and is knocked unconscious. I believe the system automatically triggers and relays your position after alerting responders. But agreed with your assessment, in your circumstances, it would have been faster to call from a phone.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by JFU

The real value of the system comes when you crash and is knocked unconscious. I believe the system automatically triggers and relays your position after alerting responders. But agreed with your assessment, in your circumstances, it would have been faster to call from a phone.

That's the promise. But based on this documented experience, seems unlikely help would arrive to the right place or in time. It's the same system, so ... Why was he asked about location, the system should have transmitted (asking for *verification* of location would be ok)? Why was he transferred to wrong departments? Why did it take 10min to establish first legitimate communication?

[X5_CC]

Wow, that is a pretty embarrassing implementation of an emergency feature. Good to know.

[six]

I’ve had pretty much exactly the same experience here in the UK so I now would not use the service by intent. Now I see it a nice to have back up should there be a situation arising where I’m unable to call directly but no way would I use it in the first instance if I’m still able to call directly myself!

[russelldav]

Originally Posted by six

I've had pretty much exactly the same experience here in the UK so I now would not use the service by intent. Now I see it a nice to have back up should there be a situation arising where I'm unable to call directly but no way would I use it in the first instance if I'm still able to call directly myself!

100% - glad I didn't find this out with a genuine emergency though.

I'm in the dealer on Friday getting a software update I'm going to mention this to them - no doubt they're aware.