BMW has announced plans for the 7 Series saloon to become its first car in Germany to offer level three hands-free driving.
The €6000 (£5245) optional extra will be fitted to 7 Series models in Germany from March 2024 and will allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel and divert their attention away from the road. This is crucially different from Ford's BlueCruise system, which still requires drivers to look at the road ahead.
This equipment works at speeds of up to 60kph (37mph) on motorways with structurally separate carriageways. It controls the car's speed, distance to the vehicle in front and lane positioning. BMW says this is the only system of its kind that can do this in the dark too.
When activated, BMW drivers will be able to stream videos on the car's main central screen and edit emails on the go.
Confirmation of level three BMW cars hitting German roads comes after head of product for BMW's large models in the UK, Matt Bacon, told Autocar that the new 5 Series range, the BMW i7 large electric saloon and the iX electric SUV are planned to offer level two-plus autonomy in the UK next year.
Difference between level two and level three autonomous driving
BMW is taking advantage of new rules in the UK that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel providing they are still paying attention to the road. Sometimes, this is called level two-plus on the autonomy categorisation scale and it includes Ford's BlueCruise system, found in the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The main difference between level two (plus level two-plus) and level three is that with level two, the driver must watch what is happening at all times. Level three allows the driver to not concentrate on the road ahead.
BMW to bring level two-plus 'Motorway Assistant' system to UK
The feature will be part of Driving Assistant Professional, which is available in the new 5 Series on top of Tech Pack Plus, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane centring. The firm plans to launch it here in 2024, but has yet to confirm a specific launch date.
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This will be brilliant for people like me who do 2-3 hour drives for work, up to 6 hours driving in a day. We'll be so much less fatigued, less time wasted, more productive.
If you're not actually going to be driving the car, why bother buying a BMW? You may as well just buy a Kia, or Hyundai, or Nissan etc.
It's no longer a desirable car, it's just transportation.
Novelty?, yes your hands are off the wheel, but you still can't do something else, you still have to monitor what the car is doing otherwise your back in control with your hands, like a said a novelty.