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BMW gets the green light in Germany for commercial introduction of a combined SAE Level 2 and Level 3 driver assistance system.
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SAE Level 3 systems let drivers take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road, preferably reading or texting for several minutes at a time, before the system signals it’s time to take control again.
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Currently, several Level 2 driver assistance systems are offered in vehicles in Europe and the US, including versions of Tesla’s Autopilot. However, Level 3 systems are only allowed in a handful of US states.
BMW is the first automaker to receive approval in Germany for a system that combines SAE Level 2 and Level 3 capabilities in the BMW 7 Series.
This means that BMW has effectively combined the Highway Assistant with the more powerful BMW Personal Pilot Level 3 system in the same vehicle.
The main difference between SAE Level 2 and 3, of course, is that the latter allows drivers to take their eyes off the road for extended periods of time until the car signals them to regain control. Level 3 allows drivers to text, read, or watch videos in certain traffic conditions, but drivers must regain control within a few seconds.
BMW’s Level 2 Highway Assistant, meanwhile, works at speeds up to 81 mph, allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel and keep their eyes on the road while driving on divided highways. This system includes an Active Lane Change Assistant, which allows the car to change lanes without steering input from the driver.
“In addition, the driver can initiate a lane change suggested by this system by simply checking the exterior mirror for confirmation,” BMW said.
But there are a few caveats to BMW’s Level 3 system right now. This capability works “under certain conditions” at speeds up to 37 mph, making it suitable for traffic jams, but not every other type of road or traffic situation.
The other major drawback is that this combination of Level 2 and Level 3 functions has only been approved in Germany for the BMW 7 Series for the time being and the price is €6,000.
SAE Level 3 systems are currently only allowed in a handful of U.S. states. Mercedes-Benz is the only company marketing them in the U.S.
State laws prevent automakers from offering such a system in every jurisdiction. That is also why German and Japanese automakers are reluctant to certify and offer such systems in the U.S., even though some of these systems have been on the market for a number of years.
BMW’s combination of Level 2 and Level 3 systems is perhaps an inevitable evolutionary step in the development and rollout of more advanced driver assistance systems, with some limited requirements for Level 3 operation.
At this time, Level 3 systems are still not suitable a lot of of things, including cruising for hours at highway speeds while the driver plays a Nintendo Switch. Likewise, Level 3 won’t let drivers sleep on the way to work, even while driving at fairly tame city speeds. Driver attention monitoring systems that track the driver’s gaze are also seen as a necessary part of Level 3 systems.
However, the gradual commercial introduction of such combination systems is a foretaste of the world in which we will have some form of blind control under certain traffic conditions.
The only thing left is for individual states to allow them on the market. That’s easier said than done, while industry insiders still have reservations about the inherent security of Level 3 systems.
Would you trust a system that takes your eyes off a vehicle to perform driving tasks at highway speed, or is this technology still too experimental to be reliable? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
