Drive a BMW and enjoy personalised radio

Munich. Serving up everything from Italian classic radio and the US charts to
the news from Japan, the personalised radio function of BMW ConnectedDrive is
set to make the world a smaller place and variety even greater. In years to
come, it will be possible - via the Internet - for drivers to receive a vast
array of radio programmes from all over the planet in their BMW, as the mood
takes them and wherever they happen to be. Which means that just because they
are lapping up the sunshine in the south of France, for example, they do not
have to be without their favourite radio station from home. And once back from
holiday, that French summer hit can sweeten their return to the everyday grind.
With the aim of turning this vision of the future into reality, BMW Forschung
und Technik GmbH is heavily involved with the Personal Radio project. Part of
this vision involves bringing together content - such as news bulletins, sports
programmes and audio-books - and mixing it with the driver's choice of music to
create a personal radio programme which is accessible anytime and anywhere.

Drivers can register their preferences for these personalised programmes from
the comfort of their own home or while inside the vehicle. Added to which,
Personal Radio becomes more familiar with the user's preferences by tracking
usage habits. Personal data is protected at all times.

When the user selects the function "find similar", Personal Radio creates a new
programme to suit the song currently being played. In addition to the analysis
of similarities between different pieces of music, the system is able to tailor
all kinds of other programmes to the mood and atmosphere inside the car. The
music is analysed as a whole, rather than being classified into genres. This
similarity analysis is aided by technology from m2any GmbH.

Visitors to the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt can take on
the role of a head of programmes and combine podcasts from German newspaper
Süddeutsche Zeitung, for instance, music from Sony BMG and other content into
an individualised programme. A good example would be a personal morning
programme to accompany the drive to work. This might start with the latest
international news, mixed with some of the driver's favourite music, and
continue with the early show from a station discovered on a recent holiday in
New York.

The latest development stage of the Personal Radio research project will be
presented to the public for the first time at the 62nd IAA in Frankfurt from
13th - 23rd September 2007. Content partners for the IAA showcase are
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Sony BMG, myAudioNews, sport1 and Audible.

About BMW ConnectedDrive
BMW combines individual online, assistance and service systems in the vehicle
under the overall concept of ConnectedDrive. These are services that can be
directly accessed using the navigation system or phone and they make a
significant contribution to the enhancement of comfort and safety. For example,
BMW Assist accesses the latest traffic information and provides a personal
information service, alongside the emergency call function. Any data requested
on restaurants, cinemas or hotels can be incorporated directly in the BMW
navigation system as a destination. Internet-based services such as calling up
share prices, weather reports and free parking spaces come under BMW Online.
The vehicle uses BMW TeleServices to contact a BMW Service Partner
automatically when it needs a service - and this operation can now also be
performed manually. Further information on BMW ConnectedDrive and Personal
Radio is available online at www.bmw-connecteddrive.com.

BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is a 100 % subsidiary of BMW AG and is in charge
of the following research topics at the BMW Group since 2003:
VehicleTechnology, CleanEnergy (hydrogen technology), EfficientDynamics
(intelligent energy management/alternative drivetrains), ConnectedDrive (driver
assistance /active safety systems) and ITDrive (IT-architecture and
communication technology). Being a limited company, legal autonomy from the BMW
Group allows a maximum of creativity and flexibility.

An internationally established network, with Technical Offices in the USA (Palo
Alto, CA und Clemson, SC) and Japan (Tokyo) as well as Liaison Offices in
France (with Eurécom in Sophia Antipolis) and in Germany (with German Research
Center for Artificial Intelligence, DFKI GmbH, in Saarbrücken) ensures global
access to trends and technologies.
www.bmwgroup.com