BMW News: i8 wins MPG & AB Awards – Spotify for iPhone for BMW ConnectedDrive

SpotifyBMW was a big award winner at the LA Auto Show and Germany.  Music lovers will be glad that iOS/iPhone Spotify now works with BMW ConnectedDrive and the iDrive controller.

The BMW i8 was named the winner of Autoblog’s 2014 Technology of the Year for its suite of technologies. AutoBlog, editor, Sharon Silke Carty reported, “The BMW i8 has a throaty exhaust note when accelerating. It’s got carbon fiber, and a plug-in hybrid system that uses a small 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and an electric motor. It has through-the-road all-wheel drive, and in Europe it’ll come with laser beams for headlights. All that, and it’s a massive eye catcher.”

The Motor Press Guild (MPG), announced the winners of its 2014 Innovation Vehicle of the Year (IVY) Awards, the 2014 BMW i8 taking the award for the $30,000 and over category.

BMW was named the automobile brand with the fewest defects and the highest level of reliability. This is the result of an analysis of some 5 million general inspections carried out by the Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung (GTÜ). In recognition of this achievement, the Stuttgart-based inspection organisation has now awarded BMW the “GTÜ Quality Trophy 2014”.

BMW and MINI have integrated Spotify for iOS iPhone for BMW ConnectedDrive.  Features include access to music, browsing, viewing on the car display, control with the iDrive Controller. Premium subscriber can get e high quality on-demand music at 320kbps with ad-free and offline listening.

The app has been specially certified by BMW for safe in-car use. The app uses the BMW Group’s A4A (Apps for Automotive) technology and can be downloaded for iOS-based devices from the Apple App Store. Having connected their smartphone to the car via the USB socket or snap-in adapter and launched the app, users are presented with its various functions via the iDrive Controller/MINI Controller, the Control Display/MINI Center Instrument and the car’s audio system.