It's commonly accepted that BMW's iDrive was a disaster when initially launched a few years ago. I didn't conduct a thorough research of Web archives to find out whether or not any automotive journalist actually had anything positive to say about it-too late to look for any allies at this point-but I'm fairly certain that it's safe to state that few if any made a note to themselves to start saving for a new BMW with the revolutionary, if you will, electronics control system. No point in burying the lead: Yes, I liked the iDrive.
Why the controversy? When BMW introduced the system in their 7-series in 2001, it was universally damned for being complicated in its simplicity and therefore pretty much useless. You may have noticed Derek Lee's rant in last month's "Troubleshooting." I doubt that the simpler version of the iDrive now found on the 5- and 3-Series would convince Derek that it's any improvement. I can understand the frustration some people might feel. But ease of use on any product is to a fairly large degree a subjective matter. It may sound odd to say that an aesthetic sense is tied to how a system works (or how we interface with it), and not just the way it looks, but I think that's always at play.
Having said that, I don't mean to discount an "objective" side to judging a given product. In this instance we can point to BMW's radical approach: A single knob and a monitor for controlling everything is an extreme solution for dealing with the increasing number of functions a new vehicle's electronics system offers. Objectively, that doesn't seem to be the best way to make things easier and more convenient. Some might think that it's a case of BMW out-thinking itself. I disagree. After spending a little time getting used to the system, I had a more favorable opinion of it than, say, the setup in the Cadillac CTS with its more pedestrian layout of buttons (practically one for every function) to the left and right of the in-dash monitor. For starters, I love where BMW has placed the single control knob, on the center console, more or less in a spot where your right hand will very naturally rest. The knob itself functions like a computer mouse: push down on it to make it "click" and shift it up, down, left and right to "point." Your choices are Climate, Communication, Entertainment and Navigation. These are easily viewed on the in-dash monitor that is of a sufficient height for relatively safe viewing while driving and recessed enough so that bright daylight won't wash out the colors on the screen.
This mouse approach to system control makes sense. At least, it should to computer users that spend most of their workdays and some of their leisure hours as well clicking on stuff appearing on monitors. As an informal test, I let a couple of people try out the iDrive. I provided them with an overview, explained the system, showed how it works and gave them the home computer analogy. It took them just a few minutes to get the hang of it. Later, as I drove and they clicked and shifted their ways into different windows they were surprised to hear that people would complain about the interface. I've heard some BMW people have also had this experience: If users are given a tutorial of sorts, their reaction to iDrive is fairly positive.
Without referring to a manual, I dare say any computer-savvy person will find iDrive intuitive. My biggest problem with it wasn't that it was complicated; but rather that it wasn't fast enough in terms of getting me to certain windows, such as the one for adjusting audio. Even from the "homepage," where I often found myself going back to at the beginning, and selecting one of the main windows, it seemed to me a relatively long delay to get to Navigation or Entertainment. I don't consider this a major drawback in terms of the use; but it may be a safety issue, especially for parts of the system you will be accessing frequently. For any window that you use often you should go into the settings and set it up for quick access. With regard to safety, the steering controls do provide volume adjustment and channel presets.
Climate is one of the elements controlled through iDrive, but you also have basic manual control via the standard BMW buttons. Honestly, I was glad for that. In this respect, for me, that was plenty sufficient, and frankly the only functions I want computer-control over are Communication, Entertainment and Navigation. The first is of course for Bluetooth, used in conjunction with your mobile phone. In my opinion, whether it's OEM or aftermarket, this is a must-have in any vehicle you drive. The nav was standard factory fare; but using the knob for inputting information was an improvement on touchscreen inaccuracies and insensitivity. Again, that is a matter of taste, but I prefer not to have to lean over to reach for virtual buttons when I can sit back and quickly shift, turn and push a knob to convey instructions. Finally, regarding the Entertainment section of iDrive, while this review was focused on the overall system itself rather than any particular aspect, I will say that the sound system leaves something to be desired. The soundstage isn't wide enough and the imaging is mediocre for a factory system (these days anyway). It could also use a little help on the low-end. Considering these shortcomings, it would've been nice if BMW could've added a shortcut button to the audio settings window. I found myself tweaking the system enough times that I quickly wearied of having to go through even one extra "page" to make my adjustments. I will have to concede that point to the critics. Other than that, BMW is on the right track, and the iDrive is a positive sign of things on the technological horizon. With some improvements, it should lead the way into the future for even better driver interfaces.