BMW has recently unveiled the new 2017 5 Series saloon and with it, a whole host of technologies to improve the driving experience. Chief among them is the addition of Apple CarPlay, but the 5 Series is the very first car to deliver wireless CarPlay.

Wireless functionality has been built into Apple's in-car system since iOS 9, but car manufacturers haven't installed it in their cars. To access the features at the moment, you need to plug your iPhone into the car's USB port.

With the new 5 Series that will be a thing of the past, as your iPhone connects to the BMW's infotainment system via Bluetooth, while data is sent via Wi-Fi. The driver is then presented with the familiar CarPlay interface on the car's 10.25-inch touchscreen display. Everything is controlled via BMW's iDrive Touch Controller, voice commands, gestures and by pressing on the touchscreen itself.

BMW's infotainment system is capable of multi-tasking apps and services and also offers a split screen mode, which can be used with CarPlay, meaning for example, you can view car data on one side and Apple Maps on the other.

To keep the car wire-free, you can also have a Qi-based wireless charger installed in the 5 Series, and BMW will also sell you an iPhone 5 or iPhone 6 wireless charging case. Other technology highlights in the car include a head up display, assisted driving modes, adaptive cruise control and an optional Wi-Fi hotspot.

The new BMW 5 Series is available now with prices starting at £36,025.