Why did BMW get rid of iDrive?
It was not easy for us,” said Joern Freyer, BMW’s head of user interaction, when asked about dropping the iDrive knob. What drove the decision, Freyer tells us, was data. Drivers of BMWs are trending more and more toward operation via touch control and leaving the iDrive knob unused. BMW’s 2026 iX3 ditches the iconic iDrive controller for touchscreen, voice, and steering wheel controls. Here’s why the scroll wheel is gone. By now, you probably already know that BMW has said goodbye to the iDrive controller. At our exclusive look at the iDrive X and the iX3 back in July, the question came up.
Does it cost money to update BMW software?
Updating your BMW software via BMW ConnectedDrive is free of charge. The BMW Remote Software Upgrade offers you two ways to download the new software: either via the My BMW App or automatically via your vehicle’s cellular connection. Once the download is complete, you will be prompted to confirm the installation of the new software and to start it.