BMW has been developing autonomous driving technology for many years, but in all of their commercial offers, they prioritize consumer value and safety. BMW currently offers a Driving Assist Professional package for all of its vehicles, however the 5 Series, X5, iX, and other more recent models come standard with the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
Level 2 autonomy is the most recent BMW autonomous technology. Although a Level 2 autonomous vehicle has capabilities to support the driver, the driver must still keep an eye on the car and the surrounding area at all times. Having said that, semi-automation can improve driving performance by alerting the driver and giving them momentary support. A A
The most sophisticated Driving Assistance Professional Package is available for any higher-end BMW that already has Active Driving Assistant as a standard feature. These are this technology’s main characteristics: A
Emergency brake assist, which can stop the car completely if necessary and alerts the driver to an impending collision.
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On the highway, distance control, commonly known as adaptive cruise control, includes autonomous braking and acceleration.
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With some restrictions and at speeds under 40 mph, lane-centering and steering assistance are offered, along with a hands-free alternative.
The car isn’t officially self-driving, according to critics of the most recent Driving Assistance Professional package, which is a fair evaluation of Level 2 autonomous vehicles. Since automated steering can only be used if you’re traveling at speeds under 40 mph, for some people, the additional cost doesn’t make sense to justify the slight upgrade from conventional safety features. A
However, other drivers who frequently encounter stop-and-go traffic like the improved experience the additional Extended Traffic Jam Assistant technology provides. Because the car can maneuver hands-free and autonomously at lower speeds, the technology feels less like glorified cruise control and more like high-level autonomous driving capabilities. A
Key Learnings The majority of high-end BMW cars are Level 2 autonomous, which means the driver must constantly keep an eye on the car as it steers, accelerates, and brakes. A
Technically speaking, the BMW 2022 iX has an unofficially classified Level 2+ autonomous system. Most businesses are stuck in a Level 2+ murky area when it comes to consumer and commercial safety because of regulatory and legal concerns around Level 3 systems, as is the case with Extended Traffic Jam Assistant technology.
However, in order to advance this transitional stage into the following level of autonomous driving—Level 3—BMW is working with Qualcomm and Arriver. BMW intends to provide Level 3 capabilities by the second half of 2025, enabling drivers to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road for longer periods of time when traveling on specific highway conditions.
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Next Year, the BMW 7 Series will achieve Level 3 Autonomy.
Next year, a number of established automakers—led by BMW—will try to surpass Tesla’s “full self-driving” system by implementing Level 3 autonomous driving technology.
While Tesla is free to refer to its technology as “full-self driving,” it is actually a type of driver-assistance technology that includes features like automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring and is intended to improve driver safety. But the support features must always be within the driver’s constant control.
According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, Level 3 functions go beyond supporting the vehicle and can even operate it under some scenarios. The catch is that, unlike Levels 4 and 5, the driver must take control if the vehicle request is still in place.
The 2022 7 Series full-size sedan, which will be released in North America in the second half of 2022, will serve as the launch vehicle for BMW’s Level 3 campaign. The 7 Series will include Level 3 from us starting next year, according to BMW Director of Development Frank Weber. “It’s a feature you can purchase. It will be ready to use when the 7 Series is introduced.”
According to Weber, the technology will also eventually be included to the X5 and X7 SUVs as well as the 5 Series midsize sedan, which sells in greater numbers. For its recently released iX electric SUV, Level 3 technology will also be a possible upgrade.
According to Weber, “the technology stack [for the iX] is a Level 3 system.” A “stack” is what BMW refers to as a collection of hardware and software, right down to a computer that analyzes data 20 times quicker than a current-generation BMW and input from partner Mobileye, a maker of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) software and a subsidiary of tech behemoth Intel.
Limited to Some Markets at Level 3
BMW’s Level 3 autonomous driving system will only be allowed to operate in mild traffic on highways at speeds of up to 60 km/h. The theory is that it can entirely eliminate the hassle of driving in traffic by delegating the tedious tasks to the vehicle. According to BMW, customers will have time for reading, emailing, entertainment, or perhaps just unwinding. It differs from Level 2 systems now seen in vehicles like other BMWs, Mercedes, Audis, and Teslas due to this.
However, Level 3 requires more than simply sensors and LiDAR to function. Massive processing power is also required since, while BMW tests this system remotely at chosen data centers, literally millions of scenarios are being simulated.
Along with Audi, BMW will be the only two companies having Level 3 technology when it debuts in the BMW 7 Series and BMW i7. Audi eventually decided to stick out for Level 4 and beyond, sort of abandoning its Level 3 goals in the process. This sort of places BMW in a unique class. The two systems generally regarded as the best in the industry, Tesla’s Autopilot and Cadillac’s Super Cruise, are both Level 2+ systems, which means they can perform a little bit more than ordinary Level 2 setups. But neither of them is a Level 3.
BMW must regret that many nations lack the legal framework to permit such systems. Germany is now drafting legislation to permit Level 3 autonomy, although the United Kingdom and the United States are still far from approving such systems. You won’t be able to drive your car autonomously on the highway if you own an American 7 Series or an i7, even if it is technically capable of doing so when operating within the proper speed limits. As a result, the first market to receive a Level 3 grade BMW may be China.
Still, this is a positive development. Some brands will have to push technologies that perhaps the world isn’t ready for as we steadily move toward complete autonomy, as long as it’s done in a safe way. We’ll be able to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of BMW’s Level 3 system once we can finally get our hands on a 7 Series or an i7. As of now, it appears promising. Keep an eye out for a more in-depth tech story coming up next week when the CEO of Innoviz joins us for a discussion on their LiDAR.
Due in late 2023, the BMW Personal Pilot Level 3 Autonomous Driving System?
According to a recent report, a Level 3-certified system won’t be accessible until close to the end of 2023, thus BMW’s ultimate self-driving vehicle will just have to wait. It will reportedly go with the name “Personal Pilot” and launch on the 7 Series / i7 G70 in Europe and China first. The G6x vehicles, which include the G60 5 Series Sedan, G61 5 Series Touring, G68 5 Series Sedan Long Wheelbase, G65 X5 / iX5, G66 X6 / iX6, and the G67 X7 / iX7, will start using the technology in July 2024.
The unconfirmed information was provided to us by renowned BMW insider ynguldyn from the Bimmer Post forums. He continues by stating that there are no specifics regarding Personal Pilot’s availability in the United States, which is not entirely unexpected given that North America has not yet adopted the required legislation.
Due to the fact that Mercedes began selling the completely electric EQS with this system earlier this year in Germany, it has managed to surpass BMW in the race for Level 3 autonomy. With other models to follow, the Drive Pilot is also offered for the S-Class premium vehicle with conventional engine.
Dr. Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice President of Automated Driving Development for the BMW Group, stated in April 2021 that the business won’t market a Level 3 system until it is “completely safe.” The self-driving system will initially only operate on highways, according to Frank Weber, head of BMW’s research and development, which makes sense given that the conditions are far more predictable.
BMW revealed plans to collaborate with Stellantis on a Level 3-certified autonomous driving system at the end of 2021. Due to over-the-air updates, the technology will continue to advance after you buy the car.
There is currently no information available regarding the iX receiving Drive Pilot, although the same source previously stated the electric SUV would receive a Motorway Assistant starting in March 2023. The claims may have been referring to the same feature or not, but we do know from BMW that the model code-named i20 has been built with full Level 3 capabilities in mind.
BMW Advances Self-Driving Technology
The iNext, a brand-new, all-electric production car based on the 2018 iNext concept, an exuberantly futuristic take on the X5 crossover, will feature BMW’s technology, which has not yet been given a specific marketing name. There are several limitations to the real thing, of course. Only limited access routes and days with favorable weather will have robo-driving operations. The car can switch lanes to pass other cars, but given that it can’t be set to accelerate, this isn’t expected to happen very often. Since the system’s top speed is 85 mph, it can at least keep up on Texas State Highway 130.
While the driver does not need to pay attention to the road, they must remain alert and buckled. A takeover will never be necessary at this level of autonomy. However, if something forces the car out of its comfort zone, such as suddenly terrible weather, a broken sensor, or the end of a highway, it will urge the driver to resume operating the vehicle.
However, BMW’s letter to the NHTSA leaves open a second, long-standing query regarding this type of self-driving. When the computer needs the human to regain control, that is the handoff issue. According to the story, a camera will monitor the driver to make sure they don’t nod off, but Bryan Reimer, an MIT researcher who specializes in human-machine interaction, argues that’s not enough to keep everyone safe. According to the BMW study, it will notify a driver that she must take control using the steering wheel’s changing lights, auditory alarms, and seat sensations. However, according to Reimer, informing a motorist something may not be enough. After a few hours of reading, texting, or whatever else, getting someone to leap back into driving at highway speeds takes complicated cognitive and design effort. He claims, “Nobody understands how to accomplish that.
According to BMW spokesman Alex Schmuck, if the driver starts to nod off, the system will send out a series of “cascading” signals “to bring the driver back into fallback readiness,” and “continued abuse of the system may result in a temporary lockout.” The automobile will turn on its hazard lights, pull over to the shoulder if it’s safe to do so, stop, and activate an emergency call if the motorist chooses to ignore the bombardment.
What ought I to watch out for?
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go is adaptive cruise control that stops moving. In addition, Active Lane Keeping Assist and Extended Traffic Jam Assistant (also known as Active Driving Assistant for all three, including the cruise control) provide manual lane-centering steering that, in some traffic situations, can come to a complete stop. Last but not least, Extended Traffic Jam Assistant enables hands-free lane centering on some split roads at speeds up to 40 mph as long as you’re paying attention. It’s currently available on more than half a dozen models that have been newly released or significantly updated since 2019. For the 2021 model year, BMW will be one of three American automakers to provide conditional hands-free driving, along with Cadillac and Ford. According to our ETJA experience, the system switches to manual lane centering after you cross 40 mph.