
Navigation
This chapter describes how you can
enter destinations and specify your route
so that your navigation system guides you
reliably to your destination.
Navigation
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Starting the navigation system
120
Starting the navigation system
Your navigation system can use satellites to 
ascertain the precise position of your vehicle 
and guide you reliably to any destination you 
enter.
Navigation DVD
The navigation system requires a special navi-
gation DVD. You can obtain the latest version at 
your BMW center.
Inserting navigation DVD
Use the lower drive for navigation DVDs.
1.Insert the navigation DVD with the labeled 
side up.
The navigation DVD is pulled in automati-
cally.
2.Wait for several seconds to allow the con-
tents of the DVD to be read in.
Removing navigation DVD
1. Press button 1.
The DVD emerges slightly from the drive.
2.Remove the DVD.
If the DVD is not ejected from the drive, it is pos-
sible that it is blocked. A message appears on 
the Control Display.
Display in the assistance 
window
You can display the route or the current position 
in the assistance window. This display remains 
visible even if you change to another applica-
tion.
1.Move the controller to the right to enter the 
assistance window.
2.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
3.Select the desired route view or "Current 
position".
4.Press the controller.
*
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Navigation
Driving tips
 121Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Destination entry
In entering your destination you can select from 
the following options:
>Entering a destination manually, see below
>Entering a destination by voice com-
mands*, refer to page124
>Selecting destination using information, 
refer to page126
>Selecting destination from a list, refer to 
Destination list, page127
>Selecting destination from address book, 
refer to page128
>Selecting home address, refer to page130
After selecting your destination you can pro-
ceed to start the destination guidance, refer to 
page132.
Operating navigation system
Enter data only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary, and always give priority to the 
applicable traffic regulations in the event of any 
contradiction between traffic and road condi-
tions and the instructions issued by the naviga-
tion system. If you do not observe this precau-
tion, you may be in violation of the law, and can 
endanger vehicle occupants and other road 
users.<
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the right to call up 
"Navigation".3.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
Entering a destination 
manually
The system's word-matching principle makes it 
easier for you to enter the names of streets or 
towns, refer to page131. This allows you to 
enter different spellings and completes your 
entry automatically so that stored names can be 
called up quickly.
1.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller 
until "Navigation" is selected and press the 
controller.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller.
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Destination entry
124 1.Move the highlight marker to the uppermost 
field.
 The arrow is highlighted.
2.Move the controller to the right until you see 
a request to enter a street in the country and 
press the controller.
3.Switch to the second field from the top and 
enter the street.
Entering a house number
You can enter any house number stored for the 
street on the navigation DVD.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.To enter the house number:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
3.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top. Turn the controller until the 
house number is selected and press the 
controller.
Starting destination guidance with 
manual destination entry
>Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
>If you do not want to start destination guid-
ance right away:
Select "Add to destination list" and press 
the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination 
list, refer to page127.
Entering a destination by 
voice commands*
With the Professional navigation system, you 
can enter a desired destination via the voice 
command system. During the destination input, 
you can switch between voice entry and entry 
via iDrive at any time. To do so, reactivate the 
voice command system if necessary.
You can have the possible commands 
read aloud via {Options}.<
1.Press the   button on the steering wheel 
or in the center console.
2.{Enter address}
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Navigation
Driving tips
 125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Selecting country
Say the name of the destination country in the 
language of the voice command system.
Entering destination
To enter a destination, spell it in the way it is 
commonly spelled in the destination country. 
Pronounce the letters smoothly and at normal 
volume, avoiding excessive emphases and 
pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 destina-
tions that meet your entries. Up to 6 entries 
at a time appear on the Control Display.
The town/city can also be selected from the list 
via iDrive:
Turn the controller until the destination is 
selected and press the controller.
Entering street and house number
The street is entered in the same way as the 
destination town/city.
To enter the house number:
House numbers of up to 4 digits can be entered.
Starting destination guidance
Destination guidance starts immediately.
Storing destinations
Destinations are added to the destination list or 
can be stored in the address book.
Map-guided destination 
selection
If you only know the location of the town or 
street of the destination, then you can enter the 
destination by using a map. You can use the 
cross-hairs to select the destination on the map 
and then adopt it for destination guidance.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller. Say the name of the destination country.
1.To spell the name of a town/city:
Say at least the first three letters of the 
town/city. The more letters you say, the 
more accurately the system will recog-
nize the town/city.
The system suggests a location.
2.Selecting location:
>Select highlighted town/city: {Yes}
>Select other town/city: {No}
>Select entry, e.g. {Entry 3}
The following options are available:
>To show other entries in the list: 
{Next page}
>To respell the town/city: {Repeat}
Say the house number.
{Start guidance}
{Add to destination list} or
{Add to address book}
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Destination entry
130 3.Select "Delete address" and press the con-
troller.
Deleting all destinations from address 
book
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the 
controller.
4.Select "Delete data" and press the control-
ler.
5.Select "Delete address book" and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
Storing home address
You can store your current position or the cur-
rent destination as the home address in the 
address book. This entry occupies the second 
position in the address book.
1.Select "Address book" and press the con-
troller.
2.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top. Turn the controller until "Home address" is selected and press the 
controller.
3.Select "Use current location as address" or 
"Save current destination" during the desti-
nation guidance, and press the controller.
In order to accept the home address as the des-
tination:
1.Select "Home address" and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
To change the entry:
1.Select "Home address" and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Edit address" and press the con-
troller. For operation, refer to Entering a 
destination manually, page121.
Route selection
You can influence the calculated route by 
choosing certain route criteria. You can change 
the route criteria as often as you like during des-
tination entry or during destination guidance.
The route is planned according to fixed rules. 
The type of road is taken into account, e.g. 
whether it is a highway or a winding road. The 
road types are stored on the navigation DVD. As 
a result, the routes recommended by the navi-
gation system may not always be the same 
ones that you would choose based on personal 
experience.
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Navigation
Driving tips
 131Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Changing route criteria
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top. Turn the controller until 
"Route preference" is selected and press 
the controller.
The various criteria are shown on the Con-
trol Display.
3.Select a route criterion for the route:
>"With highways"
Highways and major traffic arteries are 
given priority.
>"Avoid highways"
Highways are avoided as far as possible.
>"Fast route"
The fast route, being a combination of 
the shortest possible route and the fast-
est roads
>"Short route"
Short route, irrespective of how fast or 
slow progress will be
4.Press the controller.
 The route criterion is highlighted.5.If necessary, select an additional route cri-
terion and then press the controller:
>"Avoid tollroads"
Toll roads are avoided as far as possible.
>"Avoid ferries"
Ferries are avoided as far as possible.
To exit from the menu:
Select the   arrow and press the controller.
The route criteria can also be changed in the 
arrow or map display.
1.Select the symbol for the route criterion and 
press the controller.
2.Select a route criterion and press the con-
troller.
Word-matching principle
The system's word-matching principle makes it 
easier for you to enter the names of streets or 
towns. The system runs ongoing checks, com-
paring your destination entries with the data 
stored on the navigation DVD as the basis for 
instant response. The benefits for you include:
>Names of specific locations can also vary 
from the official versions if you are using a 
spelling that is customary in another coun-
try.
Example:
Instead of the German spelling "München" 
you can also enter the English spelling 
"Munich" or the Italian spelling "Monaco".
>When you are entering the names of towns 
and streets the system will complete them 
automatically as soon as enough letters are 
available to ensure unambiguous identifica-
tion.
>The system only accepts name entries 
beginning with letters that are stored on the 
navigation DVD. The system will not accept 
non-existent names and addresses.
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Destination guidance
136 1.Repeat the last voice instruction, if neces-
sary.
2.Turn the button during the voice instruction 
to select the desired volume.
This volume is independent of the volume of the 
audio sources.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Changing a route
During destination guidance, you can revise the 
navigation system's route recommendations to 
avoid particular stretches of road. Enter the 
number of miles/kilometers that you want to 
travel before returning to the original route.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top. Turn the controller until "New 
route" is selected and press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to enter the desired 
number and press the controller.
The route is recalculated.To exit from the menu without changing the 
route:
Select the   arrow and press the controller.
Displaying current position
You can have your current position displayed 
even when the destination guidance is 
switched off.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Move the highlight marker to the fourth field 
from the top. Turn the controller until "Cur-
rent position" is selected and press the 
controller.
The current position of your BMW is displayed.
If the navigation system is unable to identify a 
town or city, your current map coordinates will 
appear.
To exit from the menu:
Select the   arrow and press the controller.
You can also have the current position dis-
played on a map, refer to page134.
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