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BMW's self-driving v Series is somewhat unique among the dozen automakers actively involved in autonomous driving: A civilian tin be behind the wheel. The drive route covers high-speed freeways. And BMW actively plans to make the nigh of the gratis time afforded the drivers besides as the passengers.

On a examination bulldoze in Las Vegas, the car successfully negotiated Las Vegas freeways, continued a video the dorsum seat occupant started at home, suggested restaurants based on dining preferences, and rendezvoused with an Amazon delivery van to pick up a simply-ordered nowadays for grandma.

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Making employ of electric current technology

This cocky-driving BMW employed existing technology to prove what's possible even today. Information technology used BMW's existing radar, lane deviation alarm / lane continue assistance, and blind spot detection sensors; the single front-facing camera was a slight modification of the lane departure warning camera. This prototype did non apply lidar.

We navigated urban center streets manually. A traffic light countdown photographic camera called BMW Real Time Traffic Light Data, similar to the Audi Traffic Light Information organisation, told u.s. how long until the light turned green. Once on the highway, I pressed a bluish button on the steering wheel and the car was in control. The auto approximates an SAE Levl two / Level 3 vehicle, meaning the motorcar is in accuse, simply the commuter has to be set up to take over when needed. At ane point on the route, I had to grab the wheel and steer the car dorsum into lane. This was on a gray solar day (it happens even in Las Vegas) and the highway lanes were marked with worn traffic dots, non painted lanes. It points up the importance of well-maintained infrastructure.

For what it's worth, this is the first autonomous car I've been in where information technology drove a couple miles per hour above the posted limit (photograph) — technically a violation, but more in keeping with the speeds other drivers were maintaining. 1 small stride for flesh.

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Engineering science showcase: improved gesture control

The test vehicle employed Augmented Gesture Control, an enhancement to what debuted a yr agone on the 7 Series: Pointing, swiping and circling gestures to make or reject selections, or go more info. Driver or passenger could, BMW says, point to a building (the real building seen through the windows) and get information on shopping, restaurants or amusement at that place.

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BMW blends Cortana and Amazon Prime without feuding

P90245439_highRes_bmw-connected-microsBMW Connected, BMW's telematics arrangement, ties into BMW Open Mobility Cloud (using Microsoft Azure), which connects the car to your personal life and daily agenda. It knows your appointments, travel times, fifty-fifty dining preferences, and suggests departure times.

You talk to the cloud through Microsoft Cortana (sad, Alexa). It reminds you lot of appointments coming due. Should information technology involve dining, Cortana will find a suitable restaurant along the way. Based on commuter and passenger preferences, it will skew toward what y'all've called in the recent past, here Asian cuisine. The motorcar also interfaces with Amazon Prime.

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Last-infinitesimal gift for grandma

Say you're en route to grandma'south business firm and — oops! — you remember y'all forgot to get something for her. Passengers in dorsum using the car's wireless tablets, mayhap the driver in front speaking through Cortana, tin can order final minute gifts using Amazon Prime At present and Amazon En Route Delivery Service.

Halfway through our route, nosotros were directed to pull off the highway and to a safe meeting betoken (the hotel where BMW staff were staying at CES 2022), and a delivery person brought over a Prime Now package.

Amazon Prime Now can also exist used to stream video to the driver when the auto is running on its own. In the back seats, it tin continue streaming the plan a passenger was watching at domicile. This resolves one of the pressing beginning-world problems: kids who don't want to leave for grandma'due south house when the picture is xv minutes from beingness over.

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40 self-bulldoze test cars on the road by year'southward end

At CES, BMW announced it will have information technology 40 cocky-driving paradigm vehicles on the road in the The states and Europe this year. BMW Grouping (BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce) will work with vision systems visitor Mobileye of Israel and chipmaker Intel.

BMW will exist responsible for driving control, safety, and edifice the car. Intel volition provide the Intel Get computing platform; Intel is apparently looking for design wins at a fourth dimension when Nvidia is pushing strongly to be a CPU supplier for more than graphics adapters and has aligned with Audi. Mobileye will provide its EyeQ5 vision processor. BMW says its goal, like near other automakers, is to deliver cars to customers in 2022. BMW says it will at least meet the SAE Level iii specifications, significant an automated organization can handle all driving in some circumstances. BMW sees cars iv years from now nevertheless needing a driver in circumstances such as heavy rain or snow, or in the densest traffic conditions.