BMW has developed various automated technologies and the brand has demonstrated fully autonomous technologies since 2006. The BMW 3-Series drove itself around the Hockenheim racetrack taking the most ideal racing line back in 2006. The level 3 test vehicles have been driving on the A9 Autobahn in Germany since 2011. In 2014 the brand even made a drift car which demonstrated the highly capable automated driving technology. In 2017, BMW presented the conditionally-automated, connected and personalised Level 3 driving in a 5-Series BMW, also 40 BMW 7-Series test vehicles were launched in Germany, the USA and Isreal. Last year BMW opened its Autonomous Driving campus in Unterschleissheim and In 2021, the BMW iNEXT will feature the BMW Group’s first secure Level 3 function for motorways.
Through level 4 automation the BMW 7-Series can be summoned to any preferred pick-up point using a smartphone with the access authentication through a smartphone. In level 4 automation, the occupants no longer required to drive the car and the drive is initiated through an On Demand Mobility (ODM). The passengers need to wear their seatbelts before the cars start to drive. The occupants can watch a movie or take a nap while the car navigates to the destination transmitted to the vehicle via the smartphone app in advance. Once the vehicle reaches its destination the occupant can alight the vehicle and the vehicle than parks itself.
For safe operation in an urban environment, the self-driving the car uses environment recognition technology which can detect speed limit signs and also interpret traffic lights allowing speed to be regulated conveniently.