The maker of the so-called “Ultimate Driving Machine” is testing a new technology that allows the car to replace the driver under certain conditions such as highway driving or in traffic jams.
BMW first told us about its experimental Highly Automated Driving system last summer but now we have the opportunity to see it work in action through a video report released by the German automaker.
The autonomous driving system is currently fitted on a latest generation 5-Series sedan. Aside from the special the software, the system includes vision assistance and detection systems such as lidar, radar, ultra sound and video cameras that monitor the environment around the automobile.
“This is an entirely new situation and experience for the driver – it is a strange feeling handing over complete control of the car to an autonomous system,” says Nico Kämpchen, BMW Project Manager for Highly Automated Driving. “But after a few minutes of experiencing the smooth, sovereign and safe driving style, drivers and passengers begin to relax somewhat and trust the independent system.”
BMW says that it will continue research on automated vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems in order to develop new assistance functions for its next generation of models like the i3.
According to the Bavarian firm, the i3 showcar has already been fitted with certain systems and functions like the Parking Assistant, which automatically parks the vehicle without any driver intervention, and Traffic Jam Assistant, which takes over from the driver in traffic situations maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and automatically controlling the speed and steering.
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