BMW has an impressive presence this year at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. High above the Vegas Strip, the Bavarians setup shop to demo some of their latest technology advancements using a BMW i3 model.
Collision Avoidance System
One of the new safety features introduced at CES is the collision avoidance system which works with the external i3 sensors to help you avoid any large objects ahead. To test the feature, BMW setup a large, soft block in the line of driving and asked journalists to march toward it.
As soon as the avoidance system detects an object in the line of sight, it will moderately apply the brakes and the car stops with about an inch to spare. These are a different type of sensors than the ones found in the current i3. The system works when the car reverses as well.
Automated Remote Valet Parking Assistant
The highly innovative parking system will autonomously find a spot to park without anyone in the vehicle. The self-parking feature can be initiated from the BMW i app for Samsung Gear Smartwatch. The i3 looks for an open space by laser scanners, sometimes combined with the digital site plan of a building, for example a multi-storey car park.
The system recognizes the structural features of the car park and equally reliably steers round any obstacles that appear unexpectedly – such as incorrectly parked vehicles. Once the BMW i3 has arrived at the parking space, the vehicle locks itself and waits to be called by Smartwatch and voice command.
BMW says the technology is still years away from implementing in a series production, but they gave the journalists at CES an interesting demo to write about.
[Source: TheVerge]
