BMW | Demo of ‘CDC hands-free mode’ portends driverless cars

January 26, 2012

BMW | This clip is a part of the BMW ConnectedDrive Future Lab. More details here.

Daily Mail | BMW developers have designed a car that can drive itself down Germany’s autobahn. Looking no different from a regular BMW, the car is fitted with a “four-sense” system which includes radar, cameras, laser scanners and ultrasonics.

Some other recent research by BMW into automated driving:

AutoGuide | As part of a national project called SIM-TD, BMW is working on technological advancements to help make driving safer through its next-generation Car-to-X Communication technology. BMW recently conducted several field tests, showing what the technology is capable of, from activating warning lights when a vehicle makes a left turn and alerting drivers on upcoming traffic lights, to warning them when there are local hazards on the road.

Currently BMW is demonstrating five of Car-to-X’s features: left-turn assistant, intersection assistant, traffic light assistant, emergency vehicle warning and local hazard warning.

About BMW Group Research & Technology

Based in Munich, BMW Group Research and Technology is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and has been responsible for BMW Group research activities since 2003. The roughly 250 specialists working for the company have the clear mission to develop new technologies for use in the automobile. To reach this goal, the project teams work on five research highlights crucial to the future of the automobile in our modern world: VehicleTechnology, CleanEnergy, EfficientDynamics, ConnectedDrive, and ITDrive.

The legal independence of BMW Group Research and Technology and flat hierarchies with short decision-making routes give the specialists creative freedom and maximum flexibility. Integrated labs and workshops, in turn, ensures rapid practical implementation of the technologies developed in the car. This provided the possibility to complete the overall concept for the BMW H2R Hydrogen Car in just ten months in 2004, the car subsequently setting up nine international, officially acknowledged records.

Related:
BMW ConnectedDrive Future Lab
Technology Review | Business Impact report: “The Connected Vehicle”
Huffington Post | “BMW self-driving car: Carmaker shows off hands-free car on autobahn”
AutoGuide | “BMW testing Car-To-X Communication to help make driving safer”
BMW Group Research & Technology
BMW ConnectedDrive
BMW YouTube channel