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| Science & Technology |
| BMW navigation system points to Qiblah |
| 2006-12-10 |
| BMW Group Middle East is the first premium car manufacturer in the Middle East to introduce the arrow to Qiblah in Makkah in BMW navigation systems, operational from March 2007. "We have realised the changing needs of many of our customers in the Middle East, whose busy lifestyles mean they are spending more time on the roads travelling between one city to the other," said managing director, BMW Group Middle East, Guenther Seemann. "BMW constantly leads through technology and innovation, and being the first car manufacturer to provide the arrow to Qiblah in Mecca proves once again that our customers come first.:" Consistently looking towards the future, BMW is renowned for delivering ultimate customer satisfaction through innovations in technology and service. The arrow towards Qiblah will be available in the BMW 7 Series, X3, Z4, Z4 Coupe and MINI Cabrio from March 2007, and will also be available for RetroFit in the existing BMW 7 Series, BMW X5, BMW 3 Series and MINI models. |
| Posted by:Classer |
| #11 Allan is on the earth, so when you are in outer space, Allan is up your ass. Therefore, lift your knees past your ears and pray your balls off. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-12-10 19:03 |
| #10 When you're in orbit, which way is Mecca? Program: Muslims in Space Words fail me. |
| Posted by: KBK 2006-12-10 16:40 |
| #9 Muslims in orbit or living on the Moon would go nuts. Errrh, nuttier than they are now, I mean. The International Space Station has an orbital period of about 90 minutes. Makes finding the direction to Mecca an interesting calculus problem. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-12-10 14:27 |
| #8 Do they have to figure magnetic declination into the mecca thing. Prolly changes 2 degrees a year for the last 900 years. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-12-10 12:31 |
| #7 So if anybody builds cruise missiles they want to lob towards Mecca, they know where to get the nav system. Sounds like a win-win to me. |
| Posted by: Dar 2006-12-10 12:20 |
| #6 Qiblah Is that the big, black meteor? Or is it the source of the word "quibble"? |
| Posted by: Richelieu 2006-12-10 12:05 |
| #5 An asteroid would be an excelent moving device. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-12-10 11:54 |
| #4 GK - maybe that Imam is right, and it is the Qiblah that is in the wrong place. Why don't we move it? With enough explosive power such that there is sure to be some piece of the rock in whatever direction a mosque points. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2006-12-10 09:37 |
| #3 Great-circle technology? Or mere cheap-ass compass direction? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2006-12-10 06:41 |
| #2 Engineering expertise is only superior if the local religious leader says it is. I've probably told this story before. In the early 1970s, a conference center with a mosque was built near what was to become "Embassy Row" in Riyadh. The British contractor's civil engineer employed the best survey technigues to assure the the Mosque was oriented towards the Qiblah in Mecca. After the foundation was laid and the building had begun to rise, the local Imam came by and said NO. He then pointed in a direction about 10 degrees from the alignment of the mosque. Back to square one. Tradition triumped over truth and knowledge. |
| Posted by: GK 2006-12-10 01:01 |
| #1 Once again proving German engineering superiority over the Saudi compass-rug. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-12-10 00:19 |