What is BMW’s IFTTT Service?

BMW recently announced that the company would start letting some drivers test IFTTT integration with their vehicles. This allowance makes BMW the first car manufacturer to offer an IFTTT integration service. Although the details aren’t completely clear, this news should excite tech-savvy drivers who want to get even more tech capabilities from their BMWs. Learn more about what IFTTT is about and how the process works.

What is IFTTT?

IFTTT stands for If This Then That, essentially an equation: If x happens, then y will also happen. Your day is already filled with practical examples of this equation. If you flip a switch, then the light comes on. If you kick a ball, then the object will fly away from you. IFTTT takes this concept and applies it to technological features in your life. For example, if you use an app to adjust your home’s thermostat, then the temperature will change.

Using IFTTT in Your Life

In the world of IFTTT, if-then conditional statements are called recipes. A software developer can make a recipe to do any type of action as long as a network or the Web links the devices. For example, one company has already made a recipe that says, “If the weather forecast calls for hazardous conditions, send an alert to this person’s smartphone.”

A recipe from BMW Labs will send you a map via email when you park your car. That way, you never have trouble finding your car in a crowded parking lot.

Integrating IFTTT into BMW Vehicles

IFTTT clearly has much potential to make life easier. So far, however, no companies have integrated this technology directly into cars. While you can install some optional pieces of hardware in your car, third-party companies make these components, not the car manufacturers themselves.

BMW is starting to change this approach by taking advantage of everything IFTTT has to offer. Newer BMW vehicles already come with Connected Drive, an Internet-ready computer designed for entertainment, safety, and navigation.

By adding IFTTT to Connected Drive, BMW has made common actions automatic. After downloading the right IFTTT recipe, for example, you won’t have to think about opening your garage door. The door will open automatically when you pull into the driveway.

Other recipes already available on the BMW Labs IFTTT channel will cover the following:

• Log time and distance when you drive your car
• Turn on your lights when you get home
• Read headlines from media outlets like The New York Times
• Display incoming emails on your dashboard

About 260 recipes are now available on the channel. If you have a BMW that can take advantage of these recipes, then you might as well spend a few minutes browsing them. Even if the above recipes don’t sound interesting to you, you will likely find appealing options. IFTTT is paving the way for small pieces of software to take action in your world. If you have a BMW, or you are thinking about buying one, then your life could get a bit easier with IFTTT technology.