According to foreign media reports, BMW is adding updated L2 driver assistance systems to several new models launched in 2024, including the new 5 Series, 7 Series, X5, X6, X7 and IX. As long as road conditions are met, the technology has enabled its cars to travel at speeds of up to 85 mph (136.).8 km h) But what's even more striking is that BMW is adding a new feature called "Active Lane Change", which allows the driver to switch lanes by simply looking in the rearview mirror.
According to BMW, when the L2 level of assisted driving mode is on, when the car finds that there is a vehicle in front of it that suggests changing lanes, if the driver decides to continue changing lanes, all they have to do is look at the corresponding rearview mirror. This activates the turn signal and the vehicle will turn to the corresponding lane on its own, without the need for manual control by the user, allowing the vehicle to change lanes in real time with their eyes.
Previously, Bao Ma also brought the lane change function on L2 assisted driving, but the triggering method at that time was not exactly the same as now. On a vehicle like the ix, the driver has to flick the turn signal lever to confirm the lane change. This new feature goes a step further by allowing the driver to change lanes without using both hands.
It's unclear whether lane changes can be done with just a quick glance in the mirror, or if drivers are required to lock their eyes for a few seconds before they are executed. Either way, this new feature could cause a lot of unexpected lane changes in the future, because if the car suggests a lane change, the driver's first instinct is to check the rearview mirror to see if there is an oncoming car behind them, which is likely to be misjudged by the system as wanting to change lanes. But the good news is that BMW usually allows a certain degree of personalization of its assistance features, so even if it can't be disabled, it's possible for drivers to reset it to their liking.