(AutoCar) 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.
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.
