Voice activation system
22
Voice activation system
The concept
The voice activation system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display
can be spoken as commands. This frees you of
having to use the controller.
The voice activation system transforms your
oral commands into control signals for the
selected systems and provides support in the
form of instructions or questions.
The voice activation system includes a special
microphone.
The microphone is located:
>Near the interior rearview mirror in the
Coupe, refer to page14
>On the steering column in the Convertible
Precondition
Via iDrive, set the language that applies for the
voice activation system in order to enable iden-
tification of the spoken commands. To set the
language of iDrive, refer to page73.
Symbols in Owner's Manual
Voice commands
Activating voice activation system
1.Press the button.
This symbol on the Control Display and
an acoustic signal tell you that the voice
activation system can respond to com-
mands.
2.Say the command.
The command is displayed on the Control
Display.
This symbol is shown on the Control Display
when you can input additional commands.
If no other commands are possible, then oper-
ate the equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice
command
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{Cancel}
Controls
33Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
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Mobility
Convertible: increasing luggage
compartment capacity
With the convertible top closed, you can
increase the luggage compartment capacity:
To do so, unfold the handle and press it down-
ward in the direction of travel, refer to arrow.
This moves the convertible top compartment
floor into the raised position.
Before opening the convertible top, carry out
this procedure in reverse order.
The convertible top cannot be opened if
the convertible top compartment floor is
in the raised position.<
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>To the opening of a door, the hood, or the
luggage compartment lid
>To movements in the vehicle interior: inte-
rior motion sensor, refer to page34
>To changes in the vehicle's tilt if someone
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the
vehicle
>To interruptions in battery voltage
Unauthorized operations are briefly signaled by
the alarm system:
>with an acoustic alarm
>by switching on
the hazard warning flashers
>by flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming alarm system
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the luggage compartment lid,
even with the system armed, by using the
button of the remote control, refer to
page29. When the luggage compartment lid is
closed, it is once again locked and monitored.
Switching off alarm
>Unlock the vehicle using the remote control,
refer to page28, or
>insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp below the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: the
doors, hood or luggage compartment lid are
not properly closed. Even if you do not close
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after approx.
10 seconds. However, the interior motion
sensor is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted into the
ignition lock, however for a maximum of
approx. 5 minutes: your vehicle has been
disturbed while you were away.
Controls
45Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
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Mobility
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory
You can store and select three different adjust-
ment settings for the driver's seat, exterior mir-
rors and steering wheel.
The adjustments of the lumbar support and the
backrest width are not stored in the memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or ignition, refer
to page55.
2.Set the desired seat, exterior mirror and
steering wheel positions.
3.Press the button:
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or3:
The LED goes out.
Requesting
Do not request a position from the mem-
ory while the vehicle is moving. There is a
risk of accident from unexpected movement of
the seat or steering wheel.<
Comfort mode
1.Open the driver's door after unlocking or
switch on radio readiness, refer to page55.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1,
2 or3.
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.
The adjusting procedure for the steering wheel
is interrupted if you briefly press the switch for the steering wheel adjustment in any direction,
refer to page50.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch ignition
on or off, refer to page55.
2.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or3
and maintain pressure until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed inadvertently:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Requesting with remote control
The last positions of the driver's seat, external
rearview mirrors, and steering wheel are stored
for the remote key currently in use.
You can select
* when the position is requested.
>Request when unlocking vehicle
>Request when opening driver's door. In the
Convertible, only this function is used.
When using this feature, always make
sure that the footwell behind the driver's
seat is empty and unobstructed. Failure to do
so could cause injury to persons or damage to
objects behind the seat as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.
Selecting automatic call-up
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3."Last seat position auto."
Adjusting
50
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature
This feature is controlled by two photocells in
the inside rearview mirror, one on the front and
one on the back.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach stickers of any kind to the windshield
in front of the mirror, either.
Steering wheel
Adjusting
Do not adjust the steering wheel while the
vehicle is moving. There is a risk of acci-
dent as the result of unexpected movement.<
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing the steering-wheel position, refer to
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory,
page45.
Easy entry/exit
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.
Steering wheel heating*
Press the button.
When the steering wheel heater is operating,
the LED in the button lights up.
MDrive
With MDrive you can configure several individ-
ual settings for your vehicle on the Control Dis-
play and activate them simultaneously with the
button on the steering wheel.
Configuring settings
With the ignition switched on you can change
the settings of MDrive on the Control Display.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."M Drive"
The functions contained in MDrive are dis-
played:
>"Drivelogic:"
Sequential Manual Transmission with
Driving
62 4. Triple turn signal activation is activated
and is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating rain sensor
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps
5Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Switching on wipers
Pull the lever upward, arrow1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system reverts to operation in the intermit-
tent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance
point. The system reverts to normal speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
Rain sensor
The wiper operation is controlled automatically
as a function of the rain intensity. The rain sen-
sor is located on the windshield, directly in front
of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating rain sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the thumbwheel5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow3. The LED goes
out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash. Failure to
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield and headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow4.
The system sprays washer fluid against the
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief
period.
When the vehicle lighting is switched on, the
headlamps are simultaneously washed at
appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washing mechanisms if
there is any danger that the fluid will
freeze on the windshield. If you do so, your
vision could be obscured. To avoid freezing,
use a washer fluid antifreeze, refer to Washer
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
84 head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head. The knee air-
bag protects the legs from colliding with the
cockpit.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e. g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attempt to
remove the airbag restraint system from the
vehicle. Do not modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the air-
bag system. This category includes the uphol-
stery in the center of the steering wheel, on the
instrument panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and on the Coupe, the roof pillars along
with the sides of the headliner. Do not attempt
to remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Otherwise unprofessional attempts to
service the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or undesired airbag triggering,
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The system
correspondingly activates or deactivates the
front, knee and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side.The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following.<
Before transporting a child in the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page52.
The front, knee and side airbags on the front
passenger side can be deactivated for teenag-
ers and adults in certain sitting positions; the
indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up when this occurs. In these cases,
change the sitting position so that the front pas-
senger airbags are activated and the indicator
lamp goes out. If the desired status cannot be
produced by changing the sitting position,
transport the corresponding person in the rear
seat.
Do not fit seat covers, seat cushion padding,
ball mats or other items onto the front passen-
ger seat unless they are specifically recom-
mended by BMW. Do not lay objects under the
seat which could press against the seat from
below. Otherwise a correct evaluation of the
occupied seat surface cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The illustration here shows a possible arrange-
ment in the Coupe. With some vehicle equip-
ment packages or in the Convertible, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front,
knee and side airbags on the front passenger
Controls
91Reference
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High beams/
roadside parking lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
You also enjoy the option of lighting up just one
side of your vehicle when parking.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the resistance point, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Do not leave them switched on for
long periods of time, otherwise it may no longer
be possible to start the engine.<
Switching off
Briefly press the lever in the opposite direction
up to the resistance point, arrow3.
High-beam Assistant*
The concept
This system automatically switches the high
beams on and off. A sensor on the front side of
the inside rearview mirror controls the process.
The assistant makes sure that the high beams
are switched on whenever traffic conditions
permit. This relieves you of the burden of con-
stantly switching back and forth and simulta-
neously provides you with the best possible vis-
ibility. Naturally, you can intervene at any time to
switch the high beams on and off as usual.
Activating system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to
page89.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the High-beam
Assistant is activated. The system
automatically switches between high beams
and low beams, reacting to oncoming traffic,
vehicles ahead of you, and sufficiently lit areas,
e.g. in built-up zones.
Manually switching between high
beams and low beams
If you wish or the situation requires, you can
intervene at any time.
>If the High-beam Assistant has switched on
the high beams, but you wish to use the low
beams, just switch on the low beams with
the turn signal lever. This deactivates the
High-beam Assistant.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>If the High-beam Assistant has switched on
the low beams, but you wish to use the high
beams, simply switch on the high beams as
usual. This deactivates the system and it is
up to you to switch back to low beams.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>When the low beams are on, use the head-
lamp flasher as usual.
Lamps
92
System limits
The High-beam Assistant is designed to
maximize the amount of time that high
beams can be safely used and to quickly switch
back to low beams when traffic approaches.
The system cannot completely replace driver
intervention when unusual conditions are
encountered. For this reason, switch to low
beams when circumstances so dictate. Failure
to do so can pose a safety risk.<
Below are a few examples of situations in which
the system may not react or may only function
to a limited degree, requiring personal interven-
tion:
>in extremely unfavorable weather condi-
tions such as fog or heavy precipitation
>in sensing road users with poor inherent
illumination such as pedestrians, cyclists,
equestrians, horse-drawn vehicles, railroad
or shipping traffic close to the road, and at
deer crossings
>in tight curves, on steep crests or dips, with
cross-traffic, or with partially hidden
oncoming traffic on divided highways
>in poorly illuminated areas and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>in the low speed range
>when the windshield is fogged up, dirty or
covered with stickers, decals etc. in the area
of the inside rearview mirror
>when the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor
on the front side of the inside rearview mir-
ror with a cloth slightly moistened with glass
cleaner
Moreover, no system can operate without limi-
tations. High-beam Assistant operation is sub-
ject to conditions that may reduce the system's
ability to recognize the difference between
actual vehicle head lamps or tail lamps and, for
example, highly reflective signs, markers, and
streetlights. To be on the safe side, the system
may periodically interpret these situations as
conditions that require low beams. Below are
some of the situations in which premature
switching to low beams can occur:>approaching large and/or highly reflective
signs
>approaching certain lights, such as drive-
way lighting and porch lights
>approaching certain traffic signals
>approaching large reflective markers
In these situations, the system may interpret
the above conditions as a vehicle ahead requir-
ing a switch to low beams. When the conditions
return to normal, the system will reactivate the
high beams.
The High-beam Assistant cannot replace the
driver's responsibility for complying with state
laws on high-beam switching or for adapting to
visibility and traffic conditions.
Switching off via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."High beam assistant"
High beam assistant is activated and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.