Keeping tabs on Mini from afar

While Mini has had Connected Drive Remote Services on board for just over a year now, the Cooper Clubman reveals how powerful such technology can be. From remote controlled car commands like locking and unlocking, to car servicing details, it makes complete sense to add this option to one’s Mini configuration for additional peace of mind.

The Cooper Clubman shows off a slightly different configuration of the Connected Drive system that seems to be slightly more streamlined than before. To pair the car to a phone, one needs to download the Mini Connected Drive app from the App Store for iPhone or Play Store for Android. The app is different from the BMW Connected Drive app.

Once the app is installed, users create a Mini account. The app will then request the last seven characters of the Mini’s vehicle identification number. Because this is a public-facing number, the car confirms that it is connecting by displaying another code on the infotainment screen. After confirming that code in the app, Mini will confirm the car’s registration on their servers. This process takes about five minutes.

While this sounds like quite a process, it’s really simple, and ensures the connected car isn’t hacked. This is crucial because the car is fitted with 4G/LTE, making it Internet-facing to ensure users can control it from virtually anywhere. This process shows a carefully thought-out user design that’s focused on security.

The app’s home view provides an intuitive way of checking up on the car while the driver is away. It allows users to lock and unlock the car while away, which is useful for those who worry about whether their cars are locked while they’re far from their vehicles. It also helps drivers find their cars in parking lots. One can either select the discreet option of remotely activating the headlamps, or go a bit louder by activating the horn remotely.

For those who don’t know the approximate location of their car, one can activate the Locate Vehicle feature, which uses the car’s GPS to send a map location back to the app.

Thinking about how hot one’s car is going to be, especially when parking it in the sun, is no longer something Mini Connected Drive users have to worry about. Users can either activate ventilation remotely to cool the car before they get in, or schedule ventilation for later in the day if they know when an appointment is going to end. One can also get a notification on the smartphone, or smartwatch, when the car has cooled to the requested temperature.

A pre-ride check can be done from the app, by checking the tyre pressure and engine oil without going near the car. This can also be done on the infotainment panel from within the car.

Typing in destinations can be performed from the app, which makes it more comfortable when inputting longer addresses, compared to typing in on the infotainment touchscreen. If calendar appointments hold address information, the address automatically syncs and appears on the infotainment screen for single-tap navigation. Favourites for the on-board navigation can be set from the app as well.

One can also install specific apps to the infotainment system via the Connected Drive app. These include Spotify, Deezer, Audible, and Life 360. The apps are certified and optimised by Mini to be used from the infotainment system.

On the top-of-the-range John Cooper Works performance kit, it comes standard with keyless ride, and a redesigned graphical display called Radio Mini Visual Boost. The infotainment panel is a 6.5 inch touchscreen with a separate scroll wheel controller. An option called Connected Navigation Plus offers a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen, with real-time traffic updates, a personal concierge service, wireless charging for smartphones, and includes Apple CarPlay. 

CarPlay allows iPhone users to access iPhone apps from the touchscreen, which makes navigation with Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps possible. One can also talk to Siri while driving, to send messages or make calls. The CarPlay option can also work wirelessly, in addition to the regular cable connected option. Unfortunately, Android users are out of luck with Android Auto connectivity. That said, all the other features, like Bluetooth audio and contact sync, still work perfectly with the system

The Mini Connected Drive app offers a highly convenient method of checking on and controlling one’s Mini while away.