Instead, you need to run everything through a central display screen using menus that are selectable in turn - or often simultaneously - for all the different onboard technologies. If we were all still limited to analogue switches and dials on the dashboard, there simply wouldn’t be room for all the controls necessary to configure the array of onboard systems in a modern luxury car. In a luxury car such as an expensive BMW, drivers need iDrive to access an incredibly diverse range of menus including climate control settings and telephone contacts, settings for sport, comfort or eco driving modes, emails, text messages, and seat settings, all while requesting navigation directions to the nearest restaurant via voice command and scrolling through their favourite playlist.

In this guide we’ll explore what iDrive is, its latest features, how to use it, common problems and how it compares to rivals’ infotainment systems. Its development continues apace, with the upcoming iDrive 9 being rolled out on many of the brand’s cars in 2023.

This is the name of its infotainment system, and like many premium brands, this has become well-known as it has evolved over many interactions, featuring in a host of popular models including the BMW 3 Series. If you own or are thinking of buying a BMW, chances are you will have heard talk of the BMW iDrive system.

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