[Lonz]

Hi all - not a regular poster but a long time lurker. I've been doing a lot of searching on here but quite confused with all the acronyms and process to get a definitive answer to my question.

I've recently bought a 2016 plate 435d that appears to have one of the older versions of the iDrive (listed view rather than tiled). I'm looking at the possibility of upgrading to a more recent software, with the ultimate intention of getting Apple CarPlay after that.

I've done some searches on here and it seems to be relatively easy to install CarPlay onto a car that has iDrive 5 or above, even by going down official routes as purchasing it from ConnectedDrive online.

I suppose my direct question would be: is it possible to upgrade the software to iDrive 5 with my current set up then, from there, install the Apple CarPlay?

I currently have "NCTevo_E15413A" hardware installed which it seems is crucial for some of the potential steps someone can and can't take:

View post on imgur.com

[VVlasy]

If you really want iDrive 5 in your idrive 4.2 car, I would advise against upgrading your existing unit. you will experience reboots since it has lower RAM than the stock iDrive 5 Units.

If you upgrade to iDrive 5 either your unit, or by buying a unit with iDrive 5 stock, you will lose online services (can be enabled, requires new communication unit from the same car as NBT head unit)

If you upgrade your unit to iDrive 5 you will also lose navigation.

I also considered upgrading to iDrive 5, but after reading up on it on some forums dedicated to "hacking" cars. I have, for now, decided to stay with what I have now.

[Lonz]

Originally Posted by VVlasy

If you really want iDrive 5 in your idrive 4.2 car, I would advise against upgrading your existing unit. you will experience reboots since it has lower RAM than the stock iDrive 5 Units.

If you upgrade to iDrive 5 either your unit, or by buying a unit with iDrive 5 stock, you will lose online services (can be enabled, requires new communication unit from the same car as NBT head unit)

If you upgrade your unit to iDrive 5 you will also lose navigation.

I also considered upgrading to iDrive 5, but after reading up on it on some forums dedicated to "hacking" cars. I have, for now, decided to stay with what I have now.

This is what confuses me quite a bit. Are the NBTevo units not the exact same ones as used for the iDrive ?5?

[steve@codemybimmer]

Originally Posted by Lonz

This is what confuses me quite a bit. Are the NBTevo units not the exact same ones as used for the iDrive ?5?

There are different hardware versions. All of the ID4 NBT EVO's are HW1.0 to HW2.X and all of the ID5 NBT EVO's are HW3.X.

Most ID4 NBT EVO's have the GPS Aerial port whereas all ID5 NBT's don't have the GPS port and use ATM only.

[alexlaba]

i have heard from my bmw dealer that bmw is working on a update for some of the idrive 4 user to idrive 5. but you will have to pay for it. when it is comming, they did not know. but they would inform the people with id4 that came in consideration.

[Evil_ss]

Can someone explain why older versions can't update to ID5, like older iPhones can upgrade to the latest iOS?

[VVlasy]

Originally Posted by alexlaba

i have heard from my bmw dealer that bmw is working on a update for some of the idrive 4 user to idrive 5. but you will have to pay for it. when it is comming, they did not know. but they would inform the people with id4 that came in consideration.

I highly doubt this. People also claimed that iDrive 4.2 users would be able to get CarPlay, which is untrue as well...

[birte]

check out navtool, they make carplay interfaces for BMW www.navtool.com

[MarkoSK]

Originally Posted by Evil_ss

Can someone explain why older versions can't update to ID5, like older iPhones can upgrade to the latest iOS?

ID5 requires newer hardware (more memory, faster CPU, etc.). People that flashed ID5 over ID4 had their units reboot randomly because of this.

[steve@codemybimmer]

Originally Posted by MarkoSK

ID5 requires newer hardware (more memory, faster CPU, etc.). People that flashed ID5 over ID4 had their units reboot randomly because of this.

You also won't be able to VO code the unit as the HWIDs don't match and will have to set every single parameter by FDL coding which can be tedious.

We've tried doing this earlier and stopped since these units are very unstable and will never work like a full fledged ID5 version.

[john lummis]

Thank you very much for your comments, I think I'll stick with what I've got, I don't mess around with things I don't understand and I'm not that concearned that I want to shell out money just so it looks a bit different and I don't want to lose anything I have already got