BMW API restrictions: Difference between revisions

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|Description=BMW destroys home assistant integration for customers of BMW's online services subscriptions

}}

~~{{Ph-I-Int}}~~

==Background==

BMW ConnectedDrive is a subscription-based service that provides remote access to BMW vehicles through mobile applications & APIs, with tiers ranging from $50 to $150 per year after a free 3-year period.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-06-27 |title=What You're Really Paying For With BMW ConnectedDrive |url=https://www.bimmer-mag.com/bmw-connected-drive-price/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Bimmer Mag}}</ref> The service enables features such as remote climate control, vehicle location tracking, & electric car charging management through BMW's official mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-01-01 |title=BMW ConnectedDrive App Subscription Products, Store and Services |url=https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/connecteddrive.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=BMW USA}}</ref>

==~~[Incident]~~==

Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform that allows users to integrate various smart home devices & services, including vehicle data through manufacturer APIs. According to discussions on the BMW i4 Forum, many BMW electric car users use this integration to optimize charging based on solar panel production, time-of-use electricity rates, & home energy management systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/smarter-charging-with-home-assistant.5441/ |title=Smarter Charging with Home Assistant |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The integration was highly valued by users who paid for BMW's ConnectedDrive subscriptions & expected to maintain API access for their automation needs.

~~{{Ph~~-I-I}}

===~~[Company]~~'~~s response~~===

==Incident==

According to user reports documented in GitHub issue #149750, BMW began notifying users through its Android application in July 2025 about upcoming changes to charge control APIs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The notifications stated th''e'' following: <blockquote>''"to ensure the security of your personal data, and to better protect your vehicle, the option of allowing third-party providers to control your vehicle charging will be limited from September."''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref></blockquote>On August 30, 2025, BMW implemented strict API rate limiting that affected third-party applications. According to GitHub issue #151500, error logs showed HTTP 403 Forbidden responses with messages indicating '''"Out of call volume quota. Quota will be replenished in 00:49:03."'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151500 |title=BMW integration should handle call quota error · Issue #151500 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Users reported that the quota appeared to be limited to approximately 100 API calls per 24-hour period, far below the polling requirements of home automation systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151502 |title=BMW Connected Drive Quota · Issue #151502 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

Between September 1 and September 3, 2025, the Home Assistant community attempted various technical workarounds. According to discussions on the BMW i4 Forum, initial user-agent spoofing proved temporarily successful, with users reporting that mimicking official BMW app signatures allowed continued access.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/anyone-using-home-assistant-for-their-i4-with-bmw-connected-drive.9126/ |title=anyone using Home Assistant for their i4 with BMW connected drive? |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-09-02 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> By September 3, 2025, these workarounds ceased functioning, with community members confirming that BMW had implemented additional detection methods.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

==~~Lawsuit~~==

According to industry analysis by Beebop AI, the restrictions affected over 1.5 million vehicles and disrupted utilities using reverse-engineered BMW APIs for demand response & grid stability programs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beebop.ai/blog/bmw-api-changes-could-disrupt-utilities-using-unapproved-ev-connections |title=BMW API Changes Could Disrupt Utilities Using Unapproved EV Connections |website=Beebop AI |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The timing occurred days before the EU Data Act's implementation on September 12, 2025, which requires manufacturers to provide users with access to their vehicle data.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2854/oj/eng |title=Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 |website=EUR-Lex |date=2023-12-13 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

===BMW's response===

According to the notifications sent through the BMW mobile application, the company cited ''"security"'' & ''"safety"'' as justifications for the API restrictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The notifications directed users to a FAQ page listing approved electricity providers that would maintain access to vehicle charging control.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/bmw-to-disable-remote-charging-control-api.14532/ |title=BMW to disable remote charging control API |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

BMW has not issued an official press release or public statement regarding the API restrictions beyond the in-app notifications. According to user reports on GitHub, attempts to contact BMW customer service resulted in '''''"boilerplate responses citing security as a reason for these very targeted actions."'''''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The company has maintained partnerships with approved charging networks including Electrify America, Shell Recharge, & EVgo.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bmwusa.com/charging.html |title=BMW Electric Vehicle Charging |website=BMW USA |date=2025-01-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

==Consumer response==

The Home Assistant community posted & documented many integration failures through multiple GitHub issues, with issue #149750 receiving over 250 comments from users getting screwed by this.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-09-04 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Users report complete loss of automated EV charging management & broken solar panel integration logic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://community.home-assistant.io/t/bmw-integration-no-support-from-september-for-thirtparty-providers-like-ha/916187 |title=BMW integration: No support from September for thirtparty providers like HA |website=Home Assistant Community |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

According to forum discussions, affected users attempted multiple technical solutions between August 30 and September 3, 2025, including polling rate reduction, QR code re-authentication, & regional API switching.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/anyone-using-home-assistant-for-their-i4-with-bmw-connected-drive.9126/ |title=anyone using Home Assistant for their i4 with BMW connected drive? |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-09-02 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Community members suggested some technical solutions like quota-aware polling with exponential backoff & improved error differentiation between quota & authentication failures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151500 |title=BMW integration should handle call quota error · Issue #151500 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

It has been reported that some users began exploring alternative platforms, with discussions on the openHAB community forums about migrating from Home Assistant due to the BMW restrictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.openhab.org/addons/bindings/mybmw/ |title=MyBMW - Bindings |website=openHAB |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> According to Beebop AI's analysis, utilities faced financial penalties for failing to meet flexibility commitments when losing EV load-shaping capabilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beebop.ai/blog/bmw-api-changes-could-disrupt-utilities-using-unapproved-ev-connections |title=BMW API Changes Could Disrupt Utilities Using Unapproved EV Connections |website=Beebop AI |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>

==References==

~~{{Ph-I-C}}~~

[[Category:BMW]]

[[Category:Digital restrictions]]

[[Category:API restrictions]]

[[Category:Home automation]]

[[Category:2025 incidents]]

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |Description=BMW destroys home assistant integration for customers of BMW's online services subscriptions
 }}
-{{Ph-I-Int}}
 ==Background==
-{{Ph-I-B}}
+BMW ConnectedDrive is a subscription-based service that provides remote access to BMW vehicles through mobile applications & APIs, with tiers ranging from $50 to $150 per year after a free 3-year period.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-06-27 |title=What You're Really Paying For With BMW ConnectedDrive |url=https://www.bimmer-mag.com/bmw-connected-drive-price/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Bimmer Mag}}</ref> The service enables features such as remote climate control, vehicle location tracking, & electric car charging management through BMW's official mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-01-01 |title=BMW ConnectedDrive App Subscription Products, Store and Services |url=https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/connecteddrive.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=BMW USA}}</ref>
-==[Incident]==
+Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform that allows users to integrate various smart home devices & services, including vehicle data through manufacturer APIs. According to discussions on the BMW i4 Forum, many BMW electric car users use this integration to optimize charging based on solar panel production, time-of-use electricity rates, & home energy management systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/smarter-charging-with-home-assistant.5441/ |title=Smarter Charging with Home Assistant |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The integration was highly valued by users who paid for  BMW's ConnectedDrive subscriptions & expected to maintain API access for their automation needs.
-{{Ph-I-I}}
-===[Company]'s response===
+==Incident==
-{{Ph-I-ComR}}
+According to user reports documented in GitHub issue #149750, BMW began notifying users through its Android application in July 2025 about upcoming changes to charge control APIs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The notifications stated th''e'' following: <blockquote>''"to ensure the security of your personal data, and to better protect your vehicle, the option of allowing third-party providers to control your vehicle charging will be limited from September."''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref></blockquote>On August 30, 2025, BMW implemented strict API rate limiting that affected third-party applications. According to GitHub issue #151500, error logs showed HTTP 403 Forbidden responses with messages indicating '''"Out of call volume quota. Quota will be replenished in 00:49:03."'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151500 |title=BMW integration should handle call quota error · Issue #151500 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Users reported that the quota appeared to be limited to approximately 100 API calls per 24-hour period, far below the polling requirements of home automation systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151502 |title=BMW Connected Drive Quota · Issue #151502 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
+Between September 1 and September 3, 2025, the Home Assistant community attempted various technical workarounds. According to discussions on the BMW i4 Forum, initial user-agent spoofing proved temporarily successful, with users reporting that mimicking official BMW app signatures allowed continued access.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/anyone-using-home-assistant-for-their-i4-with-bmw-connected-drive.9126/ |title=anyone using Home Assistant for their i4 with BMW connected drive? |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-09-02 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> By September 3, 2025, these workarounds ceased functioning, with community members confirming that BMW had implemented additional detection methods.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
-==Lawsuit==
+According to industry analysis by Beebop AI, the restrictions affected over 1.5 million vehicles and disrupted utilities using reverse-engineered BMW APIs for demand response & grid stability programs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beebop.ai/blog/bmw-api-changes-could-disrupt-utilities-using-unapproved-ev-connections |title=BMW API Changes Could Disrupt Utilities Using Unapproved EV Connections |website=Beebop AI |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The timing occurred days before the EU Data Act's implementation on September 12, 2025, which requires manufacturers to provide users with access to their vehicle data.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2854/oj/eng |title=Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 |website=EUR-Lex |date=2023-12-13 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
-{{Ph-I-L}}
+===BMW's response===
+According to the notifications sent through the BMW mobile application, the company cited ''"security"'' & ''"safety"'' as justifications for the API restrictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The notifications directed users to a FAQ page listing approved electricity providers that would maintain access to vehicle charging control.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/bmw-to-disable-remote-charging-control-api.14532/ |title=BMW to disable remote charging control API |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
+BMW has not issued an official press release or public statement regarding the API restrictions beyond the in-app notifications. According to user reports on GitHub, attempts to contact BMW customer service resulted in '''''"boilerplate responses citing security as a reason for these very targeted actions."'''''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-31 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> The company has maintained partnerships with approved charging networks including Electrify America, Shell Recharge, & EVgo.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bmwusa.com/charging.html |title=BMW Electric Vehicle Charging |website=BMW USA |date=2025-01-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
 ==Consumer response==
-{{Ph-I-ConR}}
+The Home Assistant community posted & documented many integration failures through multiple GitHub issues, with issue #149750 receiving over 250 comments from users getting screwed by this.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/149750 |title=Upcoming API changes notification from BMW · Issue #149750 |website=GitHub |date=2025-09-04 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Users report complete loss of automated EV charging management & broken solar panel integration logic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://community.home-assistant.io/t/bmw-integration-no-support-from-september-for-thirtparty-providers-like-ha/916187 |title=BMW integration: No support from September for thirtparty providers like HA |website=Home Assistant Community |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
+According to forum discussions, affected users attempted multiple technical solutions between August 30 and September 3, 2025, including polling rate reduction, QR code re-authentication, & regional API switching.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.i4talk.com/threads/anyone-using-home-assistant-for-their-i4-with-bmw-connected-drive.9126/ |title=anyone using Home Assistant for their i4 with BMW connected drive? |website=BMW i4 Forum |date=2025-09-02 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> Community members suggested some technical solutions like quota-aware polling with exponential backoff & improved error differentiation between quota & authentication failures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/151500 |title=BMW integration should handle call quota error · Issue #151500 |website=GitHub |date=2025-08-25 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
+It has been reported that some users began exploring alternative platforms, with discussions on the openHAB community forums about migrating from Home Assistant due to the BMW restrictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.openhab.org/addons/bindings/mybmw/ |title=MyBMW - Bindings |website=openHAB |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref> According to Beebop AI's analysis, utilities faced financial penalties for failing to meet flexibility commitments when losing EV load-shaping capabilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beebop.ai/blog/bmw-api-changes-could-disrupt-utilities-using-unapproved-ev-connections |title=BMW API Changes Could Disrupt Utilities Using Unapproved EV Connections |website=Beebop AI |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-01-01}}</ref>
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-{{Ph-I-C}}
+[[Category:BMW]]
+[[Category:Digital restrictions]]
+[[Category:API restrictions]]
+[[Category:Home automation]]
+[[Category:2025 incidents]]