xcel
09-20-2009, 01:44 PM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/European_Union_Flag.jpg This is no ordinary Navigation unit. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=233703)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/BMW_ConnectedDrive_-_Speed_limit_remiinder.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - Sept. 19, 2009
Automatic recording and warning of local speed limits from signs with heads up display showing the details.
Three quarters of a century have elapsed between the unveiling of the first in-car radio at the Berliner Funkausstellung (Berlin Radio Exhibition) in 1932 and the innovations in in-car infotainment that have occurred since that time. Over the latter half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty first, rapid progress has been made in the networking of the car with the outside world including with traffic on the road. The world’s first on-board computer with outside temperature display was introduced in the 1980 BMW 7 Series with OEM navigation coming in 1994, a first from a European automobile manufacturer. What some thought would be the culmination with an included GPS based navigation system have only scratched the surface as to what the large LCD screen, input device and wireless connectivity is capable of offering... Today, BMW offers far more convenience, infotainment and safety.
Introducing ConnectedDrive
ConnectedDrive comprises all the innovative products, services and technologies which link up the occupants of a car, the car itself and the world outside. This unique package of innovations delivers improved convenience, infotainment and safety. The innovations include the camera-based traffic sign recognition system, Speed Limit Info, telephone information service with data transfer to the navigation unit, a feature that imports routes into the navigation system via a mobile phone or USB connection, and the Emergency Call function, which helps to identify the precise location of the vehicle and allows the emergency services to be guided quickly to the scene of the accident.
Telephone information service - In addition to accessing the complete business and personal telephone directory, over 200,000 points of interest from the Michelin Green Guide or MERIAN guide can be sent to the car via the telephone information service. It is also possible to call up the latest flight information, locate pharmacies on duty, ATM or even golf courses. Additionally hotel rooms can be booked through the Hotel Reservation Service (HRS). Selecting the information service option in the menu connects the car’s occupant(s) with the BMW call center. At the same time, the car automatically relays its current position. The special feature of this service is that the addresses sourced by the call center can be sent directly to the car and entered into the navigation system.
Application Store - BMW is the world’s first vehicle manufacturer to offer the ability to download and store individual applications either from your car on the move or from your PC at home. Examples could include MERIAN multimedia travel guides, Geowiki, games, web radio, podcasts, Facebook®, XING and Twitter®. Another stand-out feature of the concept is the ability to transfer contact data such as addresses or telephone numbers to the navigation system or mobile phone at the touch of a button.
More safety – Emergency Call or Advanced eCall function of ConnectedDrive is the world’s first to ensure that the emergency services receive detailed information on the type of collision and likely injuries to occupants before arriving at the scene of the accident. This information allows them to prepare the appropriate medical care for those involved in the accident in advance. The data relayed to the BMW call center also specifies the precise position of the car, its chassis number, vehicle type and color.
Google Services through Google Local Search allows you to seek local information using a direct Internet link to the world’s best-known online search engine from the comfort of your BMW. The location and destination of the car are automatically identified which results in the vicinity displayed, complete with address, telephone numbers and the distance from the car shown on a map.
BMW ConnectedDrive - Navigation Convenience
Traffic Info Plus or V-Info+ allows the driver to receive information on traffic and weather conditions that is more up-to-date, detailed and comprehensive than that available from a conventional traffic report. This service obtains the relevant traffic updates and information together with warnings of heavy rain or snow, and relays them to the navigation system, which then recommends alternate routes from the planned route.
TeleService displays when service is due on the vehicle. The car passes on this information to the BMW Service Partner via an Automatic BMW Teleservice Call. If the driver wishes to make direct contact with the BMW Service Partner, he can initiate a Manual BMW Teleservice Call from the car. And in the unlikely event of a breakdown, help is always at hand through the BMW Teleservices Diagnosis and Help – without having to bring the BMW into a dealership. The benefits of BMW TeleServices are now available in 19 countries worldwide.
Remote Services - You’re standing next to your locked car, anxiously patting all your pockets in search of your key. Not that you have lost it or left it behind somewhere; it just happens to be in the shopping bag you’ve locked inside the trunk. As a rule, the only option in such a situation is to call the breakdown service.
With Remote Services, prompt and appropriate help is at hand thanks to a technology developed by the BMW Group. For BMW ConnectedDrive customers it is possible – anywhere in the world – to have their car unlocked or locked by a BMW call center after providing proof of their identity. This can be done regardless of whether one is in the vicinity of the car or in another country. If you are unsure whether you actually did lock your car, all it takes is a phone call to the BMW call center and a member of staff will secure the doors remotely, if required.
Park Distance Control – A rear view camera and side view that use sensors
To determine the distance of the vehicle to any obstacles. Acoustic signals indicate how much room there is to maneuver by beeping more rapidly as the car gets closer to the obstacle.
To complement PDC, there is the option of a rear view camera. This video system facilitates parking and maneuvering in tight spaces. The high-resolution images of the wide-angle rear view camera appear in color on the Control Display. Interactive track lines indicate the optimal steering angle and the tightest turning circle for parking.
A further innovative feature is the Side View system. This operates with two cameras integrated in the front wheel arches which allow for monitoring of cross-traffic from the left and right. The images are relayed within the Control Display and offer not just extra convenience when maneuvering, but also enable an advance overview of the traffic in front of the car
Text-to-Speech - With the Text-to-Speech function, BMW ConnectedDrive customers are given the option of having news and RSS feeds read out to them, as well as weather
reports beginning in March 2010. This not only adds convenience to driving but enhances safety. This service will be available for all models (except the BMW X3) from September 2009 the include a navigation system.
Parking information - With mobility services such as the car park search function, the BMW driver guided to an available car park or a parking space. The feature automatically displays the spaces that are vacant in the chosen car park at any given time. More than 820 car parks throughout Germany already provide such dynamic data. In addition, opening times, parking fees and a photo of the entrance are also provided.
Country information - BMW ConnectedDrive provides traffic-related details on 44 European countries online in the car. Apart from the current speed limits and the main traffic regulations, the legal blood alcohol limit and general information relating to the country can be called up at any time.
Travel Guide service allows you to search online for places of interest (Michelin Green Guides), events and national and international museums at any given location. The search results are displayed along with the address, telephone number, opening times and a description. This data can be easily transferred to the navigation system or mobile phone at the press of a button.
Send to Phone Rapid orientation - connects the car with your mobile
phone providing current location (in case you lost your car in a parking lot :D).
BMW ConnectedDrive - Extended infotainment
BMW Routes guide a BMW driver reliably from A to B and usually by means of the quickest route. Sometimes however, the journey is the goal. BMW is the first carmaker in the world to offer the option of creating your own routes with up to 30 stop-offs on the Internet portal at www.bmw.com/routes and then transfer them to the car. The navigation system then takes you precisely along the pre-planned and imported route to your destination.
Alternatively, BMW ConnectedDrive customers can let themselves be inspired by a choice of some 30 specially researched BMW Routes available on the Internet. Apart from fascinating driving experiences in Europe’s most attractive regions, a new option also offers four Urban Routes (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Zurich).
Surfing the Internet - BMW is the world’s first carmaker providing access to the Web on the vehicle display. Any web page can be called up onto the central display, either by entering a URL address using the iDrive operating system or by selecting from a personalized favorites list.
Travel with your favorite music is offered as drivers can now transfer music files from a CD, MP3 player or USB stick onto the car’s hard disk. These tracks are then available at all times, even if for example the CD is no longer in the car. BMW ConnectedDrive customers also have the possibility of going online to upload information on titles or artists for a previously scanned CD which are not yet available on the hard disk. This can be done free of charge via the SIM card embedded in the vehicle. The car’s entertainment server has 12.5 GB storage capacity, equivalent to that of around 200 music CDs. The individual tracks, along with information on the artist and the track, are stored in the car’s own database, making them easy to access.
Precipitation radar keeps BMW passengers away from rain - Sunshine and blue skies, sure; showers, no thanks. BMW drivers are now the only motorists with a precipitation radar on board. BMW is the world’s first car manufacturer to offer its customers the option of calling up graphics in the car that show the current precipitation conditions for any location in Germany. They have two zoom settings that are updated every 15 minutes and show the geographic distribution or rain, hail or snow.
Mobile Office with e-mail account and address book uses a dedicated BMW Online portal in which E-mails can be received, read and answered directly from the car or via the Internet. Moreover, occupants have their comprehensive address book at their disposal in which they can store and update all their contacts. Existing addresses can be synchronized on the Internet or the BMW Online portal and called up in the car via the BMW Online portal.
Up to the minute news and stock prices are supplied online directly by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. This has the major advantage that news reports are available in the BMW at the same time as they are sent by AFP to radio and newspaper offices.
Moreover, the driver can call up the news that is of specific interest to him. BMW ConnectedDrive also provides information on the latest stock market prices in chart format.
BMW ConnectedDrive - Safety functions
Emergency Stop Assistant can detect if a driver has a serious medical emergency and automatically switch to an autonomous driving mode that will turn on the hazard warning lights and carry out a controlled maneuver – taking into account the surrounding traffic – to the side of the road before coming to a halt. At the same time, an emergency call is sent out containing the relevant data to launch the necessary medical and traffic-related assistance measures.
The Emergency Stop Assistant is based on sensors that monitor the drivers vitals and on existing assistance systems of BMW ConnectedDrive. Assistance systems such as the Lane Change Warning System or Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function constitute a further technological basis for developing the emergency stop system.
Night Vision with pedestrian recognition assists the driver in accordance with the situation is a key factor in promoting active safety. BMW is the world’s first automaker to present a Night Vision system with pedestrian recognition and warning in the new BMW 7 Series.
The video data of the long-distance infrared camera is analyzed by an image processing system which uses intelligent algorithms to specifically search for pedestrians and cyclists that might cross the path of the car. If, and only if the system detects a potential danger to the persons, the driver is given a warning via the central Control Display and the optional Head-up Display.
Heads-up Display - When driving at 60 mph, a glance at the speedometer equates to traveling 88 feet. That’s 88 feet during which you take your eyes off the traffic ahead with potentially fatal results. This is where the optional Head-up Display comes to the rescue by projecting important data and instructions such as speed, navigation prompts or warnings directly into the windscreen so that the driver has them in his line of vision at all times.
The information can be read in intense sunlight as a special brightness sensor automatically adapts the luminosity for day, evening or night driving.
Always right on track – Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Speed Limit Display allows maximum control and safety while driving is guaranteed by the Lane Change Warning System available from BMW ConnectedDrive. From a speed of approximately 30 mph, radar sensors at the rear of the vehicle monitor traffic in adjacent lanes covering an area extending from the blind spot in the next lane to a distance of almost 200 feet to the rear. If vehicles are detected in the blind spot or are approaching from behind, this is indicated by a dimmed light on the foot of the exterior mirror housing (information level). At the warning level, the driver is alerted to a critical situation by an illuminated triangle symbol and a vibration in the steering wheel. This happens if he indicates the intention to change lanes by using the turn indicator and if there is a vehicle in the critical zone, to prevent him cutting into the path of the other vehicle.
Any unintentional straying from one’s lane is picked up by the Lane Departure Warning System. This consists of a camera mounted on the windscreen in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror, a control unit for data comparison, and a signal generator that actuates the vibration of the steering wheel if corrective steering action is deemed necessary.
The optional Speed Limit Display can be used to permanently inform the driver of the current permissible speed limit on any stretch of road. The camera installed in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror permanently registers the fixed signs at the roadside, as well as variable displays on motorway gantries. The data gleaned from registering these traffic signs is compared to the information stored in the navigation system, and the detected speed limit is then shown on the dashboard.
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function - The available Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function comprises an automatic distance control which allows for comfortable cruising in fl owing traffic. It also maintains an appropriate following distance at all times in stop-go traffic. Only if the car has been at a standstill for more than 3 seconds does the driver have to blip the throttle or press the Resume button on the multifunction steering wheel to move off again.
If the distance to the car in front as set by the driver is reduced, the system adjusts the speed to the traffic situation by intervening in the engine management or the brake system. The maximum deceleration activated by Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function is up to 4 m/s2. Should it be necessary for the driver to intervene if the vehicle in front brakes hard, he is prompted to do so by visual and acoustic signals. Simultaneously, the intervention thresholds of the Brake Assistant are lowered and the DSC system’s brake standby function is activated.
All in, we are getting close to not having to drive at all but simply place ourselves in the passenger seat and enjoy the ride. Until that time comes however, many of the above systems are not going to be looked upon to kindly as anything that distracts the driver from doing what he or she is supposed to be doing - mainly driving – is quite literally an accident waiting to happen... BMW, please give us the easier to use and more precise navigation, heads up display and the extremely advanced safety functions but I will leave playing games and surfing the internet to someone else and pray that someone else is not anywhere near me while I am on the highway.
If you would like to see other screenshots of the various available functions, just ask as I have over 70 additional photos to display.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/BMW_ConnectedDrive_-_Speed_limit_remiinder.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - Sept. 19, 2009
Automatic recording and warning of local speed limits from signs with heads up display showing the details.
Three quarters of a century have elapsed between the unveiling of the first in-car radio at the Berliner Funkausstellung (Berlin Radio Exhibition) in 1932 and the innovations in in-car infotainment that have occurred since that time. Over the latter half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty first, rapid progress has been made in the networking of the car with the outside world including with traffic on the road. The world’s first on-board computer with outside temperature display was introduced in the 1980 BMW 7 Series with OEM navigation coming in 1994, a first from a European automobile manufacturer. What some thought would be the culmination with an included GPS based navigation system have only scratched the surface as to what the large LCD screen, input device and wireless connectivity is capable of offering... Today, BMW offers far more convenience, infotainment and safety.
Introducing ConnectedDrive
ConnectedDrive comprises all the innovative products, services and technologies which link up the occupants of a car, the car itself and the world outside. This unique package of innovations delivers improved convenience, infotainment and safety. The innovations include the camera-based traffic sign recognition system, Speed Limit Info, telephone information service with data transfer to the navigation unit, a feature that imports routes into the navigation system via a mobile phone or USB connection, and the Emergency Call function, which helps to identify the precise location of the vehicle and allows the emergency services to be guided quickly to the scene of the accident.
Telephone information service - In addition to accessing the complete business and personal telephone directory, over 200,000 points of interest from the Michelin Green Guide or MERIAN guide can be sent to the car via the telephone information service. It is also possible to call up the latest flight information, locate pharmacies on duty, ATM or even golf courses. Additionally hotel rooms can be booked through the Hotel Reservation Service (HRS). Selecting the information service option in the menu connects the car’s occupant(s) with the BMW call center. At the same time, the car automatically relays its current position. The special feature of this service is that the addresses sourced by the call center can be sent directly to the car and entered into the navigation system.
Application Store - BMW is the world’s first vehicle manufacturer to offer the ability to download and store individual applications either from your car on the move or from your PC at home. Examples could include MERIAN multimedia travel guides, Geowiki, games, web radio, podcasts, Facebook®, XING and Twitter®. Another stand-out feature of the concept is the ability to transfer contact data such as addresses or telephone numbers to the navigation system or mobile phone at the touch of a button.
More safety – Emergency Call or Advanced eCall function of ConnectedDrive is the world’s first to ensure that the emergency services receive detailed information on the type of collision and likely injuries to occupants before arriving at the scene of the accident. This information allows them to prepare the appropriate medical care for those involved in the accident in advance. The data relayed to the BMW call center also specifies the precise position of the car, its chassis number, vehicle type and color.
Google Services through Google Local Search allows you to seek local information using a direct Internet link to the world’s best-known online search engine from the comfort of your BMW. The location and destination of the car are automatically identified which results in the vicinity displayed, complete with address, telephone numbers and the distance from the car shown on a map.
BMW ConnectedDrive - Navigation Convenience
Traffic Info Plus or V-Info+ allows the driver to receive information on traffic and weather conditions that is more up-to-date, detailed and comprehensive than that available from a conventional traffic report. This service obtains the relevant traffic updates and information together with warnings of heavy rain or snow, and relays them to the navigation system, which then recommends alternate routes from the planned route.
TeleService displays when service is due on the vehicle. The car passes on this information to the BMW Service Partner via an Automatic BMW Teleservice Call. If the driver wishes to make direct contact with the BMW Service Partner, he can initiate a Manual BMW Teleservice Call from the car. And in the unlikely event of a breakdown, help is always at hand through the BMW Teleservices Diagnosis and Help – without having to bring the BMW into a dealership. The benefits of BMW TeleServices are now available in 19 countries worldwide.
Remote Services - You’re standing next to your locked car, anxiously patting all your pockets in search of your key. Not that you have lost it or left it behind somewhere; it just happens to be in the shopping bag you’ve locked inside the trunk. As a rule, the only option in such a situation is to call the breakdown service.
With Remote Services, prompt and appropriate help is at hand thanks to a technology developed by the BMW Group. For BMW ConnectedDrive customers it is possible – anywhere in the world – to have their car unlocked or locked by a BMW call center after providing proof of their identity. This can be done regardless of whether one is in the vicinity of the car or in another country. If you are unsure whether you actually did lock your car, all it takes is a phone call to the BMW call center and a member of staff will secure the doors remotely, if required.
Park Distance Control – A rear view camera and side view that use sensors
To determine the distance of the vehicle to any obstacles. Acoustic signals indicate how much room there is to maneuver by beeping more rapidly as the car gets closer to the obstacle.
To complement PDC, there is the option of a rear view camera. This video system facilitates parking and maneuvering in tight spaces. The high-resolution images of the wide-angle rear view camera appear in color on the Control Display. Interactive track lines indicate the optimal steering angle and the tightest turning circle for parking.
A further innovative feature is the Side View system. This operates with two cameras integrated in the front wheel arches which allow for monitoring of cross-traffic from the left and right. The images are relayed within the Control Display and offer not just extra convenience when maneuvering, but also enable an advance overview of the traffic in front of the car
Text-to-Speech - With the Text-to-Speech function, BMW ConnectedDrive customers are given the option of having news and RSS feeds read out to them, as well as weather
reports beginning in March 2010. This not only adds convenience to driving but enhances safety. This service will be available for all models (except the BMW X3) from September 2009 the include a navigation system.
Parking information - With mobility services such as the car park search function, the BMW driver guided to an available car park or a parking space. The feature automatically displays the spaces that are vacant in the chosen car park at any given time. More than 820 car parks throughout Germany already provide such dynamic data. In addition, opening times, parking fees and a photo of the entrance are also provided.
Country information - BMW ConnectedDrive provides traffic-related details on 44 European countries online in the car. Apart from the current speed limits and the main traffic regulations, the legal blood alcohol limit and general information relating to the country can be called up at any time.
Travel Guide service allows you to search online for places of interest (Michelin Green Guides), events and national and international museums at any given location. The search results are displayed along with the address, telephone number, opening times and a description. This data can be easily transferred to the navigation system or mobile phone at the press of a button.
Send to Phone Rapid orientation - connects the car with your mobile
phone providing current location (in case you lost your car in a parking lot :D).
BMW ConnectedDrive - Extended infotainment
BMW Routes guide a BMW driver reliably from A to B and usually by means of the quickest route. Sometimes however, the journey is the goal. BMW is the first carmaker in the world to offer the option of creating your own routes with up to 30 stop-offs on the Internet portal at www.bmw.com/routes and then transfer them to the car. The navigation system then takes you precisely along the pre-planned and imported route to your destination.
Alternatively, BMW ConnectedDrive customers can let themselves be inspired by a choice of some 30 specially researched BMW Routes available on the Internet. Apart from fascinating driving experiences in Europe’s most attractive regions, a new option also offers four Urban Routes (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Zurich).
Surfing the Internet - BMW is the world’s first carmaker providing access to the Web on the vehicle display. Any web page can be called up onto the central display, either by entering a URL address using the iDrive operating system or by selecting from a personalized favorites list.
Travel with your favorite music is offered as drivers can now transfer music files from a CD, MP3 player or USB stick onto the car’s hard disk. These tracks are then available at all times, even if for example the CD is no longer in the car. BMW ConnectedDrive customers also have the possibility of going online to upload information on titles or artists for a previously scanned CD which are not yet available on the hard disk. This can be done free of charge via the SIM card embedded in the vehicle. The car’s entertainment server has 12.5 GB storage capacity, equivalent to that of around 200 music CDs. The individual tracks, along with information on the artist and the track, are stored in the car’s own database, making them easy to access.
Precipitation radar keeps BMW passengers away from rain - Sunshine and blue skies, sure; showers, no thanks. BMW drivers are now the only motorists with a precipitation radar on board. BMW is the world’s first car manufacturer to offer its customers the option of calling up graphics in the car that show the current precipitation conditions for any location in Germany. They have two zoom settings that are updated every 15 minutes and show the geographic distribution or rain, hail or snow.
Mobile Office with e-mail account and address book uses a dedicated BMW Online portal in which E-mails can be received, read and answered directly from the car or via the Internet. Moreover, occupants have their comprehensive address book at their disposal in which they can store and update all their contacts. Existing addresses can be synchronized on the Internet or the BMW Online portal and called up in the car via the BMW Online portal.
Up to the minute news and stock prices are supplied online directly by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. This has the major advantage that news reports are available in the BMW at the same time as they are sent by AFP to radio and newspaper offices.
Moreover, the driver can call up the news that is of specific interest to him. BMW ConnectedDrive also provides information on the latest stock market prices in chart format.
BMW ConnectedDrive - Safety functions
Emergency Stop Assistant can detect if a driver has a serious medical emergency and automatically switch to an autonomous driving mode that will turn on the hazard warning lights and carry out a controlled maneuver – taking into account the surrounding traffic – to the side of the road before coming to a halt. At the same time, an emergency call is sent out containing the relevant data to launch the necessary medical and traffic-related assistance measures.
The Emergency Stop Assistant is based on sensors that monitor the drivers vitals and on existing assistance systems of BMW ConnectedDrive. Assistance systems such as the Lane Change Warning System or Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function constitute a further technological basis for developing the emergency stop system.
Night Vision with pedestrian recognition assists the driver in accordance with the situation is a key factor in promoting active safety. BMW is the world’s first automaker to present a Night Vision system with pedestrian recognition and warning in the new BMW 7 Series.
The video data of the long-distance infrared camera is analyzed by an image processing system which uses intelligent algorithms to specifically search for pedestrians and cyclists that might cross the path of the car. If, and only if the system detects a potential danger to the persons, the driver is given a warning via the central Control Display and the optional Head-up Display.
Heads-up Display - When driving at 60 mph, a glance at the speedometer equates to traveling 88 feet. That’s 88 feet during which you take your eyes off the traffic ahead with potentially fatal results. This is where the optional Head-up Display comes to the rescue by projecting important data and instructions such as speed, navigation prompts or warnings directly into the windscreen so that the driver has them in his line of vision at all times.
The information can be read in intense sunlight as a special brightness sensor automatically adapts the luminosity for day, evening or night driving.
Always right on track – Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Speed Limit Display allows maximum control and safety while driving is guaranteed by the Lane Change Warning System available from BMW ConnectedDrive. From a speed of approximately 30 mph, radar sensors at the rear of the vehicle monitor traffic in adjacent lanes covering an area extending from the blind spot in the next lane to a distance of almost 200 feet to the rear. If vehicles are detected in the blind spot or are approaching from behind, this is indicated by a dimmed light on the foot of the exterior mirror housing (information level). At the warning level, the driver is alerted to a critical situation by an illuminated triangle symbol and a vibration in the steering wheel. This happens if he indicates the intention to change lanes by using the turn indicator and if there is a vehicle in the critical zone, to prevent him cutting into the path of the other vehicle.
Any unintentional straying from one’s lane is picked up by the Lane Departure Warning System. This consists of a camera mounted on the windscreen in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror, a control unit for data comparison, and a signal generator that actuates the vibration of the steering wheel if corrective steering action is deemed necessary.
The optional Speed Limit Display can be used to permanently inform the driver of the current permissible speed limit on any stretch of road. The camera installed in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror permanently registers the fixed signs at the roadside, as well as variable displays on motorway gantries. The data gleaned from registering these traffic signs is compared to the information stored in the navigation system, and the detected speed limit is then shown on the dashboard.
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function - The available Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function comprises an automatic distance control which allows for comfortable cruising in fl owing traffic. It also maintains an appropriate following distance at all times in stop-go traffic. Only if the car has been at a standstill for more than 3 seconds does the driver have to blip the throttle or press the Resume button on the multifunction steering wheel to move off again.
If the distance to the car in front as set by the driver is reduced, the system adjusts the speed to the traffic situation by intervening in the engine management or the brake system. The maximum deceleration activated by Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function is up to 4 m/s2. Should it be necessary for the driver to intervene if the vehicle in front brakes hard, he is prompted to do so by visual and acoustic signals. Simultaneously, the intervention thresholds of the Brake Assistant are lowered and the DSC system’s brake standby function is activated.
All in, we are getting close to not having to drive at all but simply place ourselves in the passenger seat and enjoy the ride. Until that time comes however, many of the above systems are not going to be looked upon to kindly as anything that distracts the driver from doing what he or she is supposed to be doing - mainly driving – is quite literally an accident waiting to happen... BMW, please give us the easier to use and more precise navigation, heads up display and the extremely advanced safety functions but I will leave playing games and surfing the internet to someone else and pray that someone else is not anywhere near me while I am on the highway.
If you would like to see other screenshots of the various available functions, just ask as I have over 70 additional photos to display.