The BMW Neue Klasse’s arsenal of advanced driver assistance systems collaborates with the driver to enhance the motoring experience
As far as cars are concerned, we have always held the view that technology should serve the user, not the other way around. Sounds logical enough, especially if you have had to grapple with the more diabolical User Interface (UI) systems found in some of the newer EV entrants.
Suffice to say, the higher up the price and product hierarchy one goes, the less acceptable it becomes for technology to require too much fuss and fidgeting to use. After all, one’s time is better spent on more meaningful pursuits, as opposed to puzzling through sub-menus to figure out how to use a particular function.
Intuitive, natural, or in BMW-speak, “Symbiotic Drive” are some of the keywords that should describe the technology in one’s car — even more so if it involves automated driving and driver assistance systems. Such systems should collaborate with the driver to augment their motoring experience in the mind-melding of man and machine, rather than frustrating it.
See also: Fast, (eco) friendly fun with the BMW Neue Klasse : Editor's Note
After we spent more time with the iX3 50 xDrive at the international launch event, we realised that the BMW Neue Klasse model was tech-packed with loads of ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) features.
However, this was not the intriguing thing about BMW’s fully electric Sport Activity Vehicle, but rather how quickly one takes to its features, so that one can simply get in and drive it without worrying about how things work.
See also: BMW iX3 50 xDrive Review : Neue Wow Order
Some of the help comes from the proactive BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice assistance, which provides contextual inputs on which features to engage based on usage pattern recognition, as well as real-time environmental conditions and driving style.
The car’s Symbiotic Drive capability works with driver assistance to create an immersive and intuitive driving experience, merging the driver’s throttle, brake, and steering inputs seamlessly with the AI-enabled software.
The brain behind the automated drive systems? One of the four high-performance supercomputers that reside at the heart of BMW’s newly developed electronics architecture for the Neue Klasse.
In addition to symbiotic steering, another notable fact is that the BMW iX3 is the first model in the world to feature symbiotic brakes. Unlike conventional cruise control systems that disengage at the slightest hint of driver intervention, the BMW iX3’s automatic cruise control will allow light steering and braking inputs without switching off the assistant.
Making its debut in the BMW iX3 is the Motorway & City Assistant, which combines automatic lane change with new driver assistance functions for urban and highway environments, as well as the optional automatic cruise control, all part of the Driving Assistant Plus package.
We enjoyed the full suite of features during the test-drive event in Spain.
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The Motorway & City Assistant not only kept the BMW iX3 within its lane but also let us remove our hands from the steering wheel at speeds up to 130km/h for extended stretches of the highway!
It will even change lanes automatically if required, with a discreet eye signal from the driver. (pictured in action above)
Around the city, the system helps the driver to detect traffic light signals and can even brake automatically if the upcoming lights are red (and alert the driver when they turn green).
If you are the sort to find it stressful to execute a parking manoeuvre on busy public streets, you will be pleased to learn that the BMW iX3’s Park Assist requires just a touch of a button to self-park (and exit) for parallel- and reverse-parking lots.
It keeps an eye out for vehicles and pedestrians and will take decisive action to avoid any impact mid-park. More crucially, the AI-supported parking space recognition function searches only for parking spaces with sufficient length and width to accommodate the iX3, removing the “will it fit, won’t it fit” conundrum from the driving equation.
