With the introduction of the new R1300GS/A and R12/nineT/GS, BMW has changed the internal CAN Bus layout and interconnections between different functions so that the Body Domain Controller now serves as the gateway to the internal diagnostics for the vehicle. In addition, they have also changed how controllers are coded in that coding of a controller now happens through a series of encryption and decryption steps. This is known as coding v2.0 and logically poses a challenge to any 3rd party tools that want to make arbitrary changes on a controller in order to allow custom functionality. As far as we can establish, coding v2.0 requires communication with the BMW server in Germany in order to change a controller's configuration. Therefore, it is currently impossible to change the configuration in e.g. the Instrument Cluster or the Body Controller, from within a standalone tool.
cars are all moving to
secure gateways - Manufacturers are keen to prevent any unauthorised modifications. With secure gateway access, only authorised individuals or technicians are granted the ability to make changes to the vehicle's software or configurations. This measure aids in preventing unauthorised modifications that could lead to malfunctions, performance issues, or potential safety risks.
BMW cars are far more advanced down this route - it comes with two main drivers
A) vehicle theft and fitted of used parts on other vehicles
on the theft side - in car entertainment idrive headunits for the last 4 years are now programmed to self destruct if you try to fit on other vehicles - What's new - Cross-exchange and component theft protection
With the introduction of the I20 and the following models, component theft protection was introduced.
This is achieved by coupling the components to the vehicle's central control unit.
The following components are currently combined: Gear selector, iDrive controller, BZM, the head unit, airbag unit and radar sensor.
If one or more of the protected components is replaced, the connection with the central control unit must be reinitialised.
This is done with the help of Secure Tokens.
The necessary tokens are provided by the BMW backend system when the replaced component is a new part.
Components that have been removed from other vehicles (cross-exchange) do not generate a token.
B) subscription services for add-on features
things like heated seats can be bought for monthly use in the winter - because this is a revenue stream for BMW, they need to stop people just enabling with a tick box using third party tools
https://www.bmw.co.uk/en/shop/ls/dp/Seat_Heating_SFA_gbActivation after purchase is quick and easy using over-the-air download:
Add the ConnectedDrive upgrade to your shopping cart. Enter your payment details and confirm the purchase.
You will receive an email confirmation after we check your contract.
The service is then activated in your vehicle – or at the latest the next time you drive your BMW for a longer time (some services also require manual activation in the vehicle). This process may take several minutes.
If the service has not been activated by the end of your drive, please do the following:
Use the BMW ConnectedDrive Store in your vehicle to check if it is online. To activate services, the BMW ConnectedDrive Store in your vehicle must be connected to the internet.
Use the BMW ConnectedDrive Store in your vehicle to check if it is activated. If it shows the status “In activation” for more than 3 days, please contact ConnectedDrive Customer Support.
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