BMW Group to build on Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for “BMW Operating System 9”

From 2023, the BMW Group will be launching an infotainment system based on Android Open Source for the first time — the “BMW Operating System 9”. The announcement was made by Stephan Durach, Senior Vice-President Connected Company and Development Technical Operations at the BMW Group, at the Automobil-Elektronik Kongress in Ludwigsburg. In this new variant of the “BMW Operating System”, the user experience, applications and user interface design are also developed and implemented in a BMW specific way.

The current version of “BMW Operating System 8” is based on Linux. Even for vehicles with the “BMW Operating System 9”, the so-called Shared Service Layer will continue to be Linux-based. This layer is used, for example, to control the Remote Software Upgrade, with which BMW has been able to upgrade every line of the vehicle software over-the-air since 2018. This includes the areas of infotainment, driving, driver assistance, comfort and safety.

“We are integrating the best aspects of all worlds – that could be our own in-house developments, Open Source or commercial software products, depending on what the specific solution looks like. We make sure our customers always enjoy a unique, customised digital experience in their vehicle,” according to the lead developer for the digital driving experience, Stephan Durach.

The different software platforms enable the infotainment systems to be customised for different vehicle segments.