[peter11]

Hi,

I got my car in April and it came with November software. I have patiently watched as everyone dealt with various software updates to fix various issues they were having. I recently received an email (as I know most of you did too) stating that it was time to bring my car in for its first software update. I took it in and asked them to check the cornering lights and the laser headlights. They installed the 7/2019.53 software.

The cornering lights they flat out stated that they work. And of course, after the software update they do. That said, the local Genius did not even know what the feature was.

The shop commented on my laser lights confirming that I do in fact have them and that they work. I asked how they confirmed it. They said, well, they turn on. I pointed out that my understanding is that in most conditions the light being used is in fact LED for both low and high beam. Only when traveling over 37 mph on a very dark road would the laser light be active. They told me I am crazy.

My questions are:

Is my understanding correct? Laser is never on except under specific conditions above 37 MPH.

Is it correct that the lights are otherwise simply LED in both low beam and high beam settings?

Lastly, is it correct that one must have the automatic headlight setting on (the button on the end of the turn signal stalk) for the lasers to come on above 37 mph?

Lastly, my connected drive now works, with the exception of the 3d remote view. I called BMW and they said it has been disabled for at least a month. Is that what everyone is experiencing?

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by peter11

Hi,

I got my car in April and it came with November software. I have patiently watched as everyone dealt with various software updates to fix various issues they were having. I recently received an email (as I know most of you did too) stating that it was time to bring my car in for its first software update. I took it in and asked them to check the cornering lights and the laser headlights. They installed the 7/2019.53 software.

The cornering lights they flat out stated that they work. And of course, after the software update they do. That said, the local Genius did not even know what the feature was.

The shop commented on my laser lights confirming that I do in fact have them and that they work. I asked how they confirmed it. They said, well, they turn on. I pointed out that my understanding is that in most conditions the light being used is in fact LED for both low and high beam. Only when traveling over 37 mph on a very dark road would the laser light be active. They told me I am crazy.

My questions are:

Is my understanding correct? Laser is never on except under specific conditions above 37 MPH.

Is it correct that the lights are otherwise simply LED in both low beam and high beam settings?

Lastly, is it correct that one must have the automatic headlight setting on (the button on the end of the turn signal stalk) for the lasers to come on above 37 mph?

Lastly, my connected drive now works, with the exception of the 3d remote view. I called BMW and they said it has been disabled for at least a month. Is that what everyone is experiencing?

I hope these two videos will answer your questions.. ..

[peter11]

The videos are helpful, thank you. I had previously seen the first video but as a non-bmw single source, I was not 100% trusting of it. I was hopeful that others here could answer my questions based on their overall knowledge of how they work.

Also wondering if many people have failed, like me, to discern whether their laser lights are actually working as prescribed.

[peter11]

This schematic of the laserlight would seem to indicated that both low and high beam are laser so that's confusing me too?

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by peter11

This schematic of the laserlight would seem to indicated that both low and high beam are laser so that's confusing me too?

Ignore their schematic.

The low and high beams are LED. Laser high beams are on and active if the vehicle speed is over 37mph, ambient lighting is low enough for high beams and no other vehicles are detected on the road (eg this for USA since high beam assist is coded OFF)

Here's an old article but informative on BMW laser light boosted high beams

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=969902

[MotoWPK]

Originally Posted by peter11

Lastly, my connected drive now works, with the exception of the 3d remote view. I called BMW and they said it has been disabled for at least a month. Is that what everyone is experiencing?

Coincidentally, I was told this just today. First, 3d remove view was working for me up to 8/29 when my CD account was broken with the vehicle not showing up when logging in online. Called CD, who created a ticket. Several days later my vehicle would show up when logging in online, but my CD phone app could not see the vehicle. Again, a ticket was created. Still not working a couple of weeks later, I called today and this time the rep I talked with noted that my wife's email address was mapped to the vehicle instead of mine. She mapped my email address to the vehicle and immediately the phone app could see the vehicle.

After hanging up I tried remote 3d view and the app states it is not enabled in the vehicle. Check in the vehicle and, indeed, it is enabled. Tried disabling and re-enabling to no effect.

Called CD back explained the phone app connection was 'fixed' just 10 minutes ago but no remote 3d view and this rep stated it has been disabled with no plans for when or if it would be re-enabled. I complained and he then asked for my VIN, whereupon he stated this was a 'recent' vehicle and connected a Genius rep, who stated that it would take some time (perhaps several hours) for the system to update and re-enable my remote 3d view (still waiting for this to happen). This is quite a different story than the first rep told me.

Having dealt with Connected Drive reps on many occasions now, starting with difficulties getting it working after taking delivery of the vehicle and more recently fixing it after they'd broken it, it's clear to me that most of the CD reps have little understanding of the problems or an idea of how to diagnose them. Instead of saying "I don't know, let me pass you on to someone who might", they respond with meaningless and usually inaccurate information, then create a ticket (which I've come to believe is a euphemism for trash canning the problem). Then, usually after many contacts, you will come across a rep who actually has some idea about how to diagnose a problem and, when they do, the fix is simple and immediate.

It's a sad state of affairs and speaks extremely poorly about BMW's support of their vehicles in the context of Connected Drive features.

[perikifi]

Originally Posted by MotoWPK

It's a sad state of affairs and speaks extremely poorly about BMW's support of their vehicles in the context of Connected Drive features.

Agreed -- unfortunately, this happens all the time as giants in established industries try to become software companies. Anyone remember Nokia?

[MotoWPK]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but as follow up to my previous post in response to the OP's comment about being told remote 3d view had been disabled...
Remote 3d view, when accessed within the phone app, would continue to immediately display the message that it wasn't enabled in the car, when in fact it is.
Called CD support, spent a long time going over the history and the rep states that I need to update the car. Updated the car then, just before ending the call, the rep states that it's been explained to her that BMW is aware that remote 3d view, especially on the X5, is "up and down". So, further confirmation that the info provided by some reps that remote 3d view has been disabled is utter nonsense.
One other thing - while the CD rep was trying to explain to me the menus to follow to initiate the update in the vehicle, it was apparent to me she was reading from instructions for a menu that is other than iDrive 7.0 as implemented in an X5. The level of compentency in CD support is horribly poor and, it appears to me, it is significantly due to woefully inadequate training and a lack of access to information on the part of the reps.

[azlkk]

Originally Posted by perikifi

Agreed -- unfortunately, this happens all the time as giants in established industries try to become software companies. Anyone remember Nokia?

It's not just BMW, we had all sorts of issues getting Mercedes Benz to sort our MercedesMe system. Clueless agents and confusing webpages.

[The J-Man]

I am surprised we don't have coding yet for the euro high beam functions.