Last week’s report featured on The Green Car Website reminds us of the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street. You will remember the part when Kris Kringle, employed at Macy’s, starts sending customers to Bloomingdales when they can’t find what they are looking for? Some might say it is the cleverest marketing strategy around.
So, back to BMW and the greater good – Consistently leading the pack in terms of technology, BMW has teamed up with INRIX to introduce an in-car intermodal navigation system that is offering an unprecedented level of service. The INRIX system monitors real-time traffic conditions and if major delays are ahead, it will recommend alternative modes of transport that will get you to your destination faster! If you decide to ditch the car and opt for the train or bus, the system will direct you to the nearest public transport stop so you can make the change in time for the next departure. The database of public transport stops and schedules will reportedly cover 17 countries.
Unveiled at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, the new intermodal navigation system will make its debut in the BMW i3 (Electric) and BMWi8 (Hybrid) vehicles. No surprise then that it will also let drivers know if they have enough charge to make it to their destination, and direct them to the nearest electronic charging station if they don’t!
The media release sums it up nicely: “As the world’s first fully-networked electrically powered cars, it provides a robust system of intelligence for sharing information between the vehicle, the driver and the outside world”.