BMW Driver Assistant a viable competitor to AutoPilot

[MrAustraliaTax]

I had the opportunity to drive a current generation BMW 7 series with their driver assist features recently and came away more than impressed with how close it was to Tesla AutoPilot.

It lane kept flawlessly on a freeway driving in the middle lane for many kilometres before disengaging.
The HUD was very helpful in working out what the system was doing.
Driver detection was by way of a very, very soft touch on the steering wheel, no torque required - two fingers at 5 o'clock front and back of steering wheel.
Nagging was: 5-10 seconds - yellow symbol on HUD asking for hands on wheel. 30 seconds - symbol goes red. 60 seconds - red + beeping. 2 minutes - car is deliberately weaved slightly within the lane to alert you to put hands on wheel. Beyond that - didn't try. (Timings are from memory).

It was better when following another car.
It had a tendency to exit dive.
There was no audible warning when it lost the lines, just a very subtle change on the HUD which was easy to miss.

All-in-all, it was great to see progress being made in this space.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

How do you update the software capabilities, or is that frozen in time?

 

[MrAustraliaTax]

I believe software is updated via dealerships, so presumably not free.

 

[bmah]

I believe software is updated via dealerships, so presumably not free.

I don't know how applicable this is, but my wife's 330e was in service for a warranty issue and they asked to keep the car an extra day so they could update the software, no charge. When we picked it up, I just couldn't help myself and asked, "The car has cellular data, why can't it download software updates over the air like my Tesla does?"

Bruce.

 

[NCAviator]

I don't know how applicable this is, but my wife's 330e was in service for a warranty issue and they asked to keep the car an extra day so they could update the software, no charge. When we picked it up, I just couldn't help myself and asked, "The car has cellular data, why can't it download software updates over the air like my Tesla does?"

Bruce.

I have owned BMWs for over 30 years now. My current 2016 X3 comes up on lease in October. I am looking at a Tesla to replace it. My biggest reason is the lack of updates to their infotainment system. Got a new phone 2 years ago and still not a single update to the infotainment the whole time I have owned the car. Phone does not sync text or email. Very disappointed in BMW and their lack up upgrades. Always have to buy their newest car to get them.

My biggest concern with Tesla is they appear to be slow to make updates to the infotainment and many of the features in high end cars are not yet available on the Tesla. I think they are resourced constrained in software developers. Did a test drive in a a Model X and was surprised at the lack of phone features.

 

[Uncle Paul]

I believe that Tesla has showed them the way. Most of the other auto makers have copied what Tesla has done.

Driver assisted steering, braking and lane changes, connected to the Nav systems and computer like Tesla are now being copied by others.

Same with the skateboard configuration, where Li batteries are mounted low beneath the floor and one or two electric motors directly driving the wheels under computer control.

Instead of Tesla Killers, I call them Tesla copiers.

 

[AustinP]

I have owned BMWs for over 30 years now. My current 2016 X3 comes up on lease in October. I am looking at a Tesla to replace it. My biggest reason is the lack of updates to their infotainment system. Got a new phone 2 years ago and still not a single update to the infotainment the whole time I have owned the car. Phone does not sync text or email. Very disappointed in BMW and their lack up upgrades. Always have to buy their newest car to get them.

My biggest concern with Tesla is they appear to be slow to make updates to the infotainment and many of the features in high end cars are not yet available on the Tesla. I think they are resourced constrained in software developers. Did a test drive in a a Model X and was surprised at the lack of phone features.

We have our tesla for almost 3 years now. The media system was refreshed during that time, ota update, and brought some welcome improvements. I particularly am impressed with the search (in spotify and tunein at once), and the new layout with more pics and less text makes it safer to use. And voice recognition is brilliant. but there is indeed room for improvement. As for telephony, indeed, I believe there was a lot of good intentions planned, but many remained on the backlog so far. Eg there is a place for the picture of your contacts, but they never shows.

Anyway, for sure it will keep on improving, and this so far without any visit to the SeC. Just a "software update is ready" on you smartphone. And no fee.

If I compare to my previous car, Audi A4 from 2014, it had maybe more features, like routing thru different waypoints, but the interface was so cumbersome to me that I did not use them. Not that I did not try, but it really did not work wel for me.

Anyway, just to say that in the Tesla, i really love what we have so far on the media, and just know it will get better. I have little doubt you would be disappointed.

 

[AustinP]

And about text or mails, no integration so far.
I would welcome that as wel, though checking text and mails while driving, i'm sure i'm safer doing so on my phone while AP is activated, that in any other car without a similar driving assistance.

 

[bob_p]

A major difference between Tesla cars - and those from other manufacturers:

At least so far, the functionality you have on the day you buy the car - is what you'll have until you sell it.

Tesla claims AP 2.x cars have the hardware needed to support Full Self Driving - while the other manufacturers may be providing drive assistance (similar to AP or EAP), there probably won't be any opportunity to upgrade those cars after purchase to FSD.

Tesla's planning to release a new navigation app "soon" (in Musk-speak that could be days, weeks or months from now) - seems unlikely any other manufacturer would deploy a new navigation system to purchased cars, and if they did, it would likely require a visit to a service center and an upgrade fee. With Tesla, improvements to the onboard apps are made OTA and are free.

Clearly every manufacturer is working on their own version of EAP & FSD. The major difference, if Tesla is correct about AP2.x support for FSD - when Tesla does get it working, all cars built since Q3 2016 will get the new AutoPilot features - while other manufacturers will likely require you to purchase a new car...

 

[Icer]

Likely Mobileye Inside