BMW, GoPro let you record your on-road antics

By Nick Jaynes Published April 24, 2023

If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent countless hours hunched over a GoPro suction cupped to the front of your car, trying to capture the perfect angle of a road race or scenic drive. But now, thanks to a new partnership between BMW and GoPro, recording your on-road antics and adventures just got a whole lot easier.

Starting in July, owners of all BMW and MINI models – built in 2012 or later – fitted with the BMW Apps or MINI Connected option, respectively, will be able control his or her GoPro camera from the comfort of the driver seat through the iDrive infotainment unit.

Recommended Videos

How does it work? Rather simply. The driver plugs an iPhone 4 (or later) running the GoPro App into the BMW or MINI’s USB port. Selecting the ConnectedDrive menu on iDrive will allow the driver to access and control a Wi-Fi-equipped GoPro camera (HERO3+ or later).

In the GoPro App in the ConnectedDrive system, drivers will be able to select from one of six preset camera modes: Leisure Drive Facing Out, Night Driving, Sport Driving, Sport Driving Facing Out, Drive Camera Facing In, Winding Road Time-lapse, and Straight Road Time-lapse.

Just as with the standard GoPro App function, the driver can start and stop recording with the camera at any time. Rather than digging through the iPhone, though, users will be able to easily access it all through iDrive.

In addition displaying to video from the GoPro, the in-dash 10.2-inch screen displays the camera’s vital stats including elapsed recording time, battery life, and Wi-Fi signal strength.

While not quite as comprehensive as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Performance Data Recorder option, in terms of telemetry overlays on the video capture, this clever new addition is far more accessible. Rather than being forced to choose the option at the dealer, current and future owners can simply go and purchase a GoPro if they wish to opt into the new feature.

Just remember, as brilliant and thoughtful as this may be, don’t record yourself breaking any road laws and upload it to the web. Even if you’re a brilliant driver or the next Martin Scorsese, law enforcement agencies will still ticket you.

Former Automotive Editor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

Topics

Photography

Cars

Volvo’s purported EX50 could be the budget-friendly plot twist nobody saw coming

Volvo's next electric SUV could shake up the EX lineup with more room and a smaller price tag.

Volvo’s electric lineup needed a genuinely affordable entry point, and a new report suggests that buyers might actually get one.

According to a new Automotive News report, Volvo is quietly working on a compact electric crossover, called the EX50. It will be aimed at replacing the dated EX40 in the US sometime in 2027.

Cars

Xiaomi just launched an SUV with seven seats and a bedroom upstairs

Xiaomi’s SkyNomad SUV could replace your car, office, lounge, and tent

Skynomad

Xiaomi’s new family SUV is basically a house on wheels with enough claimed range to cover more than 1,000 miles. It also costs considerably less than its outlandish feature list might suggest. The company has officially launched the SkyNomad N90 Max in China for 299,900 yuan, equivalent to roughly $44,400 through direct conversion.

Preorders are open now, with the first vehicles expected to reach customers in September. The converted figure provides useful context, though it does not represent pricing outside China. Xiaomi describes the seven-seat flagship as a “house you can move.” This unusually grand pitch starts making sense once you see what happens inside.

Cars

Mazda chief says the MX-5 Miata could go electric

2019 Mazda Mazda3 AWD review

For years, the idea of an electric Mazda MX-5 Miata felt almost impossible. The little roadster has always been celebrated for one thing above everything else: keeping things light. Add a heavy battery pack into the equation, and many enthusiasts assumed the Miata's trademark driving character would disappear along with it.

Mazda, however, appears to have changed its mind. In an interview with German publication auto motor und sport, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro confirmed that the next-generation MX-5 is being developed with the possibility of an all-electric version in mind. It doesn't mean the iconic roadster is abandoning gasoline anytime soon. Still, it does suggest Mazda wants the Miata to survive in a future where internal combustion engines may no longer be an option.