BMW 7 Series gets Level 3 self-driving approval

German authorities will allow the vehicles to drive themselves at speeds of up to 60km/h.

The new BMW 7 Series has received approval for Level 3 autonomous driving from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). This means that it will be licensed for autonomous driving at speeds of up to 60 km/h on motorways. 

At higher speeds, the driver must still take over, and a human being must still be in the driver’s seat at all times.

The five levels of self-driving autonomy, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE), are:

Level 0: No driving automation. The driver is in complete control.
Level 1: Driver assistance. The vehicle can automate some driving tasks, but the driver must still pay attention.
Level 2: Partial driving automation. The vehicle can automate both steering and acceleration in some conditions, but the driver must still be ready to take over.
Level 3: Conditional driving automation. The vehicle can automate all driving tasks in some conditions, but the driver must still be ready to take over if needed.
Level 4: High driving automation. The vehicle can automate all driving tasks in all conditions, but it may be limited to certain geographical areas.
Level 5: Full driving automation. The vehicle can automate all driving tasks in all conditions and in all geographical areas.

This breakthrough primarily pertains to situations involving traffic jams and slow-moving traffic, where the vehicle assumes resp

Level 3 means the driver can check their smartphone, read messages, respond to emails, and read a newspaper, as long as the vehicle remains below the 60 km/h.

According to the BMWBlog (https://www.bmwblog.com), BMW’s VP of driving experience, Nicolai Martin, confirmed to Handelsblatt last week that the necessary approval from the KBA had been granted, paving the way for this system to enter mass production before the end of 2023. 

“According to the German outlet, Level 3 also means that liability in the event of an accident shifts to the vehicle itself. BMW will allegedly assumes responsibility for any resultant damages,” wrote Horatiu Boeriu in the BMWBlog.

“To ensure accidents are virtually impossible, the inclusion of expensive lidar sensors is required, resulting in a several-thousand-euro premium for the necessary special equipment. It’s evident that the current speed limit of 60 km/h represents an interim step, with future plans to enable these systems to operate at higher speeds.

“The expectations are that in a few years Level 3 will be available at speeds up to 130 km/h. If you’re looking at the German market specifically, a 60 km/h cruise on the Autobahn is not feasible.”

Currently, says Boeriu, BMW offers Level 2+ support for higher speeds, up to 130 km/h, although the driver retains responsibility in this scenario. This system is debuting in the new BMW 5 Series (G60) and i5. The technology, which also allows for lane changes triggered by looking into the side mirrors, is presently exclusive to the 5 Series. The technology is expected to expand to the 7 Series and other models in the near future, although a specific timeline remains uncertain.

“According to Martin, BMW aims to create a seamless transition between self-driving and automated driving. One of the key challenges lies in transferring responsibility between humans and machines. Similar to conventional driver assistance features like parking assistance, the car actively offers the traffic jam pilot when appropriate conditions are met. The steering wheel retracts, and the car takes control.

“When the system is ready to hand back control to the driver, warning signals are issued, the steering wheel illuminates, and it moves forward once more. The system provides the driver with a ten-second window to regain control. From a psychological perspective, this timeframe is sufficient for the driver to disengage from a video or conversation and refocus on traffic.”

Martin told BMWBlog that BMW was already looking into Level 4, or at least Level 3+, for the foreseeable future. 

“Level 4 autonomy on the highway offers exciting prospects,” he said. “It is designed to handle specific, challenging situations, such as sudden construction zones with narrower lanes, emergencies, or even pop-up concerts. While Level 3 systems are more straightforward, Level 4 promises to tackle these scenarios with ease.”

* See Gadget’s Arthur Goldstuck demonstrate autonomy on the BMW 330i back in 2019: https://gadget.co.za/bmw3seriesautonomy/