BMW launches 80 mph+ SAE Level 2+ in US

  • November 8, 2022
  • William Payne

BMW has launched a head unit for SAE Level 2 automation at high speeds in the United States and Canada. The BMW 7 Series has become the company’s first vehicle to roll out SAE Level 2+ at a speed of over 130 km/h (80 mph). The head unit uses HERE’s HD Live Map and provides the Series 7 with predictive routing and real-time traffic information, allowing hands free driving at high speeds. BMW plans to extend SAE 2+ self driving to further models based on the same technical platform.

SAE Level 2+ automated functionalities in the BMW Series 7 enables hands-free driving on interstates and highways. The HERE HD Live Map will be integrated into additional BMW models as automated driving capabilities increase across vehicles, roadways and regions.

HERE HD Live Map comprises layers of data to support the vehicle in knowing exactly where it is on the road, and what road features lie ahead. Lane-level data serves as a redundant source of information to the onboard sensors, providing additional safety assurances for the system. HERE HD Live Map helps a vehicle to proactively adjust its behaviour to upcoming road characteristics.

The BMW 7 Series is also the first vehicle to deploy HERE Predictive Routing, a cloud-based routing functionality that learns individual driving patterns to propose more personalised journeys. In addition, the BMW 7 Series uses HERE Real-Time Traffic across 70 countries. The service delivers drivers detailed information on traffic congestion with lane-level precision and potential road hazards ahead, with auto re-routing capabilities.

“A digital HD map is essential for highly automated driving. HERE HD Live Map is rich and reliable: it provides road geometry, route profile and traffic signs – all on a global scale,” said Dr. Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice President of Development Automated Driving at BMW Group. “We have been working with HERE for many years to bring highly automated driving to market, and we are now thrilled to see the result of our collaboration finally come to life. Together, we are going one step further in delivering on our promise to provide a superior driving experience.”

“We’re delighted to see our HERE HD Live Map enable automated driving at Level 2+ for BMW series production vehicles. This collaboration demonstrates the value of maps for highly automated driving. We look forward to supporting the expansion of Level 2+ to all types of roads, everywhere in the world,” said Fred Hessabi, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at HERE Technologies.