Retrofit Reverse Camera

[DaytonZ4]

All:

I can't find anything in the forum on this (maybe not searching right). My car has iDrive and I'm not sure if a reverse camera was an option from the factory. Is there a kit/way to retrofit a reverse camera with existing (stock) iDrive?

Thanks,
Grumps

 

[flybobbie]

I wouldn't mind the option to have rear camera view all the time on the screen as the rear view mirror is useless roof down.
Does the screen have simple video input that could be switched to external camera.

 

[Silverstar]

A reverse camera was never an option on this car but it can be fitted and connected to the factory idrive via a MMi box, I think it might be possible without the MMi box to but I am not sure. Anubiszed on this forum is your man for this type of stuff.

 

[PointedMarlin]

Like Silverstar says Anubiszed knows how & will post a link to the exact video

If you want to search YouTube type bmw z4 mods in the search bar will get you to his channel as that is the name of it

 

[AnubisZed]

As if by magic, up I pop

Yes it's possible to have a retrofitted reversing camera, and you have a couple of options....

1, As above fit an MMI box to your current iDrive, this will also give you full Apple CarPlay/Android Auto from your phone. You then simply connect and run a suitable reversing camera to this. All plug-n-play, so no coding required.
This is the screen view you'll have (you can have it in full screen, but the sensor view will be over the right side of the image)

My videos on how to fit an MMI box...
Chinese standard box.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY-pSPUz0IU&t
And the Mr12volt digital MMI box.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY4XAzUYiXk

2, You could replace the folding screen with an Android Touchscreen. Again this is all plug-n-play and gives you a host of applications additional to what you currently have (music, nav etc)
Please note this was with aftermarket reversing sensors, prior to me retrofitting OEM PDC, so may look slightly different)

My video on how to fit an Android screen... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC9VFJBDFQM&t

3, For the purists amongst us, you can retrofit a reversing camera into the original iDrive. Although it was never an option on the E89 it can be done with the aid of an aftermarket emulator box and a bit of coding. The proviso though is that you must have OEM PDC already installed.


This is my current set-up, even though I do have the Mr12volt MMI box installed, I just like the OEM look of it
I currently don't have a video on this install just yet, I'll get around to this later in the year.

Hope that helps

EDIT** There is a 4th option (well 3.5 actually )
You can go full OEM with this method...
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1720680

Well as "full OEM" goes anyway.
On my OEM photo above you'll see 5 "buttons" on the left of the image, in my version with the aftermarket emulator they don't do anything, but with this method, linked above, they should be all functional, including reversing direction bars on the image.

 

[blazej]

Not that I will be doing any of this but the sheer amount of knowledge, skills and resources you're sharing with the forum, AnubisZed, is very impressive!

 

[flybobbie]

Does the feed to the screen say have a composite video input, could just switch between normal input of camera input?

 

[AnubisZed]

Does the feed to the screen say have a composite video input, could just switch between normal input of camera input?

It's the switching that would be the thing. As the screen is changed automatically once you activate tge PDC circuit (hence why you need PDC installed already), there is no other way to change the screen view.

 

[AnubisZed]

Not that I will be doing any of this but the sheer amount of knowledge, skills and resources you're sharing with the forum, AnubisZed, is very impressive!

Thank you
Other members helped me when I first owned my Z4, so I like to give back to the Z4 community. And my job quite often gives me the time to do research in between actually working

 

[birdy_z4]

Followed the mmi box route have reversing camera on back number plate and works well

Also have front one fitted

 

[DaytonZ4]

AnubisZed: thanks for all the info. Lots of options (what to do?). I'll be heading over to your channel. I suppose $$$ and ease of install are going to play a role in whatever I do. Thanks, again.