BMW and Vodafone Promise to Make Your Next Car “Like a Smartwatch”

The new BMW iX is the first car to have integrated 5G.

Thanks to a partnership between BWM and Vodafone, iX drivers will be able to take out a contract to improve the phone signal in their car, as well as allowing the iX to talk to other cars on the road.

“Together with BMW, we are bringing the first 5G car on the road,” says Michael Reinartz, Head of Innovations at Vodafone Germany.

“The multi-aerial system integrates fast network and digital services even better into the vehicle. For the customer in the car, this means even higher mobile phone quality, fewer annoying phone call interruptions and more digital variety to make even better use of the driving time.”

Drivers will need an existing multi-SIM contract with Vodafone that they can extend with the Vodafone One Number Car option, which activates their personal eSIM in the car. This, according to BMW, makes the car “another interconnected device for customers, like a smartwatch.”

What’s more, the eSIM can serve as a 5G wifi hotspot for up to ten devices in the car. The eSIM can even be transferred to other eSIM-capable vehicles.

“BMW has always been a pioneer in the networking of mobility. We already installed the first SIM card in a vehicle back in 1997. With the 5G Personal eSIM, we are now integrating a completely new level of connectivity for our customers in the car in cooperation with Vodafone.” says Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President of Connected Company Development and Operations BMW Group.

If you want to get started with a 5G-enabled BMW iX, you’ll need to get in the car and open the My BMW or My Vodafone app. Activating the eSIM will cost you €10 and €5 per month thereafter. 

BMW is also bringing this tech to the i4 and other models next year.