BMW's urban driving system launches in 2027

BMW will expand navigation-guided, partially automated driving into cities starting in 2027, launching first in Germany with other markets to follow via software updates.

What the system can do on city streets

The Level 2 system can steer, speed up, and slow down on highways and city streets. In towns it assists with lane changes, turns, yielding, and roundabouts, but drivers must keep hands on wheel.

BMW's competitive move against Tesla

BMW is the latest automaker to commit to releasing a partially autonomous city driving feature, racing to keep up with Tesla and its Full Self-Driving system as hands-free highway driving becomes standard.

How the system shows drivers what it sees

BMW's system works cooperatively with drivers, allowing them to steer, brake, or speed up without shutting it off. The car displays what it sees through the heads-up display and a three-D map on the dashboard.

Existing BMW models will get the feature

The necessary cameras and sensors already come built into models like BMW's three Series, seven Series, X five, iX three, and iX four. BMW can activate the feature through an over-the-air software update.

Safety researchers warn of driver overreliance

Safety researchers worry that driver-assist systems are less safe than normal human driving. Drivers develop overreliance on these systems and have slower reaction times when taking back control of the vehicle.

“There is compelling evidence that, regardless of the company, most driver-assist systems are less safe than normal human driving.”

BMW faces legal liability questions

BMW emphasizes drivers remain responsible while using the system in urban environments, much like Tesla does with FSD. However, some customers have successfully argued in court that Tesla bears responsibility for crashes.