Catch a Glimpse of BMW’s New Driverless Car in Action
- Posted on January 24, 2012 at 5:04pm by
Liz Klimas
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Google may have gotten the wheel turning for driverless cars but other manufacturers are quickly joining in — among them German luxury car manufacturer BMW.
BMW announced its ConnectedDrive Connect technology for a semi-autonomous car in Aug. 2011, according to MotorSixty, but has just recently released a video showing of the new wheels.
Check out the footage posted by MotorSixty’s YouTube channel to see the car in action and learn more about its technology:
MotorSixty states that the system works on highways that have been pre-mapped by the manufacturer so the computer knows where the car and nearby objects are located. MotorSixty compares technology to “advanced cruise control” but states when someone may be going to slow on the autobahn, “it looks for an open lane where it can safely merge at speeds up to 130 km/h (81 mph).”
Watch the vehicle and its engineers cruise around:
Late last year, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that BMW said that having driverless cars on the road is about 10 years away — but it‘s not the technology that’s lacking:
One test model has already performed a successful trial, driving between the German cities of Munich and Nuremburg on a high-speed autobahn without any driver input.
BMW continues to develop the technology – which is also being developed by the likes of Google, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz – but the company’s driving dynamics expert, Ulrich Pfundmeier, says governments and road management authorities are not yet ready for such cars.
“That is just dependent on the government,” he says. “My personal opinion is that in 10 or 15 years we will drive on the highway at a speed of maybe 120 [km/h]. You put in the navigation system where you want to go and on the highway you will go, and maybe read the newspaper.”
Gizmodo reports that Ford and Volvo have also begun developing driverless technology.
(Related: Check out this Blaze post with videos of Google’s driverless car in action.)
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trashfree
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 3:19pmI can’t wait. I could actually accomplish something during the hours of commute I have to do. Check emails, finish reports, read etc. If our government is going to invest in anything it should be driverless cars. Millions of man hours are wasted each day commuting to work. Companies could actually pay people during their commute to check emails and do other things if their car can drive itself.
Report Post »LindaB11
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 2:25pmWHY??? As an owner of several BMW’s throughout the years, the whole thrill of owning one is driving it!!!!!!!
It is truly the ultimate driving machine.
Report Post »goggles34
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 2:03pmThis is just dumb. First of all, I want a PERSON to be in control of any vehicle I am in, whether myself or someone else. Secondly, driving and having that freedom to go where you want to is very ‘American’…that’s why we created muscle-cars…speed, fun, and freedom. And finally, how much will it cost to map out all of the highways for this autonomous car to drive safely? And who’s paying for it? If you don’t want to drive, ride the train or subway, or fly.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:54pmNow if we can get our auto industry to be innovative like this – oh yeah that’s right – we can’t – we have unions.
Report Post »IBHowe
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 12:44amActually:
Report Post »All 3 of the “big 3” are working on driver-less cars, and so is Google (obviously they hope to be a predominant operating system supplier for this tech).
This tech was created because of the DARPA grand challenge several years ago, in which universities were challenged with a task of creating a car that would drive itself on a long test course in the desert.
chrisden
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:15pmI just don’t think I could ever let a computer be in charge of my life and the lives of those around me. It sounds cool, but I test drove a Toyota that had the capability of breaking on its own when the car got too close to the vehicle ahead. It was the scariest thing I have ever done. I guess I need to be in control of my life – not a microchip.
Report Post »thradbore
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:07pmSo, you’ve never been on a plane then? Or in a newer car? And you get your electricity from your own solar panels? Do you realize how much of all of those is run by a “microchip” as you put it? I guess what you mean is that a car being driven by a computer puts your dependence on machines in full display, which makes you uncomfortable, so you’d rather have it hidden from you, which makes you feel better. Ok then. Hope you feel better next time you take your seat on a jet and think that the pilots are totally in control.
Report Post »Starkadder
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:41pmNuclear missiles?
Report Post »KevINtampa
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 4:58pmLOL… even most cars these days use digital signals from the steering wheel. I hate to tell you, but if you drive a recently made car, there’s a CPU that interprets your input and translates that into what the car actually does. Be it steering, acceleration, braking, or the wind shield wipers…
In other words, you are already letting a computer “drive” for you.
Report Post »Creator4
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:57pmThere are both positives and negatives, but I think the people who developed this had the positive mindset of “The Future of Cars”, not the “global control of cars” mindset. XD
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:45pmThe positive…i can take a nap on the way to work.
Report Post »jimf01
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:57pmDoes the automobile industry see what benefits this could have? Imagine a network of controlled cars, set the destination when you reach a main arterial road, and the network drives you to your destination. What would the savings be in fuel and pollution without any traffic jams on the highways?
Report Post »What would the savings be in auto insurance and medical costs with fewer accidents?
What would be the savings to every industry if no one had to worry about being late for work due to traffic? These are but a few major opportunities realized by such a system.
truthhasno
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:55pmWonder When it will run for president?, oh wait we are driver-less already!
Report Post »patriot4ever
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:01pmI don’t see the German people EVER giving up one of their most treasured liberties, the art of driving FAST. It’s a useful tool to keep idiots that text,drink alcohol or put on make-up while driving from killing other people…
Report Post »dthomps6
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 1:16pmand 75mph is not fast. That’s a normal interstate speed. If the computer will drive 120mph, then I might get it.
Report Post »READRIGHTHERE
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 7:58pmAnd one day retirees really will be able to set the cruise control on their motor homes and then take a nap!
Report Post »bizkit
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 7:24pmHow lazy and irresponsible do Americans have to been, that we don’t even want to drive? That was once the greatest fun we had on the roads. O well, we can just do what our car tells us to. we do not need to make any decisions ourselves.
DAILYEPICALERT.COM
Report Post »Lucario
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 7:48pmIrresponsible and lazy? I see another way I can be more productive. I’d much rather read a book or study for my classes than have to focus my attention on the road.
Report Post »Snidely
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:21pmIt’s nothing to be with being lazy, and a lot to do with safety. We’ve had automatic steering in tractors and other farm equipment for many years. It reduces fatigue after many hours of operating the machinery, so the operator can concentrate on other things. Less fatigue equals few accidents.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 7:18pmcool
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