BMW will offer hands-free driving capability in the UK on several models from next year, the company said.
Drivers can get their hands on all models in the new 5 Series lineup, including the BMW i7 electric large sedan and the iX electric SUV, Matt Bacon, head of product for BMW Large models, said in a statement. In the United Kingdom, Autocar said.
BMW is taking advantage of new rules in the UK that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel as long as they focus on the road, sometimes referred to as Level 2+ on the threshold classification scale.
BMW will follow Ford, which is rolling out its BlueCruise hands-free system on the Ford Mustang Mach E electric SUV in the UK.
Also Read: Autocar goes ‘hands free’ driving in UK with Ford Bluecruise
Bacon said BMW’s system enabling the change is called Highway Assistant in the US, which should be renamed Motorway Assistant in the UK.
This feature is part of Driving Assistant Professional, available on the new 5 Series in addition to Tech Pack Plus, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane centering.
BMW has yet to decide whether the system will be available as a monthly subscription, like the one on the Ford Mustang Mach E, or as a one-time fee upon purchase. It costs extra to pay a license fee for the high-definition mapping needed to better locate the car, BMW said.
The exact roads the system will work on have yet to be determined, Bacon said, adding that the minimum requirement is that they be two lanes with a center divider. The car will warn you if you are driving on a suitable road. Roads covered by Bluecruise include the M25 and M40, Ford said.
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