[April1]

I was wondering if X3 is equipped with auto time changing but presumably not. I tried to sync with iPhone too but it didn't pick up time from it. X3 has Sim card too and that's also not used by BMW to reset times.

I'm not saying that this is necessary but such small features if provided, takes the car to next level of electronic innovation and one proudly say my BMW has auto DST control

[ctski1]

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

I was wondering if X3 is equipped with auto time changing but presumably not. I tried to sync with iPhone too but it didn't pick up time from it. X3 has Sim card too and that's also not used by BMW to reset times.

I'm not saying that this is necessary but such small features if provided, takes the car to next level of electronic innovation and one proudly say my BMW has auto DST control

My X3 came set up with GMT +1 time zone as default. Maybe that has something to do with your time not changing. The X3 will not pick up/synch time with iPhone.

[April1]

Does it mean that your car takes care of DST changes? Or it has fixed setting?

My TVs, all cell phones, Laptops, iPad , my wrist watch changed their clocks last Sunday automatically except my dearest X3.

[colson79]

Mine was set to the correct time zone but it still didn't adjust for DST. I don't think it has the ability to automatically change.

[ctski1]

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Does it mean that your car takes care of DST changes? Or it has fixed setting?

My TVs, all cell phones, Laptops, iPad , my wrist watch changed their clocks last Sunday automatically except my dearest X3.

Not sure about that. I can't remember if my other BMWs auto-changed for DST in the past. Honestly, I don't think so....lol

[JOHNBMWM5]

IT will NOT change, you have to change it yourself. It can not make sandwiches either

[TJTT]

But it will make you hotdog, if you believe me

[tuco44]

The clock does NOT change automatically for DST.

Surely it's not too much to ask for ppl to make the simple change in iDrive twice a year?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by tuco44

The clock does NOT change automatically for DST.

Surely it's not too much to ask for ppl to make the simple change in iDrive twice a year?

It is for some.

[Bustofa]

No, it doesn't change automatically and, whilst I can easily do it myself, I think it's a pretty poor show given the amount of ICT crammed into the car.

[Lotus7]

I'm GLAD the DST change is left up to the owner.

DST shift dates are different for various countries and the direction of the shift is different depending on which hemisphere you're in:

Most of Europe use the last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October.

Most, but not all of the US uses the revised dates (since 2007) of the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November

Chile uses the second Saturday in October and the second Saturday in March

China, Iceland and Russia use different dates and vary by specific regions.

Because of the STUPID, politically motivated change in the US shift dates (passed Congress in 2005, in effect in 2007), I now own (2) video disk recorders that automatically change their internal clocks twice a year on the wrong dates causing me to have to change them back manually and then change them again when the "new" DST shift occurs. That means (8) resets of the (2) clocks each year. It's stupid and frustrating and now the idiots in Washington are talking about changing the dates again.

I, for one, am extremely thankful that BMW seems to believe that resetting a clock is something that can be trusted to a driver with average intelligence. If changing the clock time is beyond your ability, maybe you can hire a graduate student or out-of-work physicist to do it for you (I know several who are looking for jobs).

The 2005 US law that changed the shift date was supposed to save energy. Independent and even government sponsored studies have found absolutely no energy savings as a result of the new dates (which is why some are asking to change it back). It’s like legislating a change in Pi to just plain “3” to make it easier for kids to remember.

[Bustofa]

Originally Posted by Lotus7

If changing the clock time is beyond your ability, maybe you can hire a graduate student or out-of-work physicist to do it for you (I know several who are looking for jobs).

Bit of a low punch, Lotus. I don't think anybody is saying that they aren't capable of changing the clock but I think you know that.
I was going to list reasons why given the clear weight of computing and communications power bult into the X3, it should be entirely possible to intelligently program the vehicle to adjust its clock and take account of local variations, but quite frankly I can't be bothered.

[Lotus7]

Originally Posted by Bustofa

Bit of a low punch, Lotus. I don't think anybody is saying that they aren't capable of changing the clock but I think you know that.
I was going to list reasons why given the clear weight of computing and communications power bult into the X3, it should be entirely possible to intelligently program the vehicle to adjust its clock and take account of local variations, but quite frankly I can't be bothered.

Sorry, I was trying to be facetious (hence the smiley face) but I can see how it doesn't come off that way. No offence intended. Of course the system could be programmed by area, but for vehicles that don't have NAV systems that would entail entering the base location, and given the whims of idiot politicians to change dates, opens up a large can of worms.

An automatic setting via radio-linked atomic clock (like my wristwatch) is a great solution, but only works in countries with digital clock broadcasts and requires a different receiver frequency for each country.

[Le Chef]

It's not hard to make it happen. If my iPhone can change DST automatically at the right time, and change timezones automatically when you cross into Eastern, or Mountain, why can't the nav?

[Lotus7]

Originally Posted by Le Chef

It's not hard to make it happen. If my iPhone can change DST automatically at the right time, and change timezones automatically when you cross into Eastern, or Mountain, why can't the nav?

Brings to mind Apple's great iPhone DST alarm snafu.

Programmers are only human.

[02420X3]

My iPhone 4S running iOS5 did not do the time change last Sunday. After poking and prodding a bit, power-cycling it convinced it to change the time.

The clock on my x3 took less time for me to change than the clock on any other car I've ever owned.

[Radioactive]

I believe the phone changes from the tower signals and not dependent on phone location as per gps. Perhaps somebody from the areas that do not change could comment. Indiana?

To clarify, I'm only guessing here and I didn't stay at an Holiday Inn last night. After your initial setting of the phone, the tower probably puts out an GMT time that your phone uses to compute what time being displayed. I agreed, it would be real easy for the Nav system to pick the time on the GPS signal.

[tuco44]

Originally Posted by Bustofa

No, it doesn't change automatically and, whilst I can easily do it myself, I think it's a pretty poor show given the amount of ICT crammed into the car.

Disagree totally, just another unnecessary item of cost and complexity to add to our already over-burdened techy cars.

I think it's a pretty good show on BMW's part.

[sfax]

Apple not only completely ballsed up daylight saving meaning that people's alarms including mine suddenly stopped working when the clocks changed, they also have a flaw if you ever change the clock on the BIOS. The synch goes haywire and every time you plug in your iPhone it puts the iPhone clock forward an hour. Took me frustrated hours to fix.

I would worry that it would be all too much for the BMW programmers who seem to struggle with basics like mp3 players BUT if it was a feature you could switch on and off, then better to have it IMO.

[April1]

X3 are equipped with SIM cards which continuously get local times through cell towers.

[Lotus7]

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

X3 are equipped with SIM cards which continuously get local times through cell towers.

Not mine.

[Le Chef]

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

X3 are equipped with SIM cards which continuously get local times through cell towers.

We obviously don't get the Californification of our SiMs in the Midwest.