Press release
Source: BMW
Munich/Stuttgart. The ESV Conference (International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles) is the world’s largest and most important conference focusing on the issue of vehicle safety. The 2009 event will take place on 15 – 18 June in the new conference centre in Stuttgart, Germany under the title “Reinventing Safety: Putting Advanced Technology to Work”.
Communications are the key to the future: vehicle-to-vehicle communications from BMW ConnectedDrive and BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide.
The BMW Group stand at the Conference offers visitors a glimpse into the future. Performing the role of mobile test beds, a BMW 7 Series car and BMW K 1300 S motorcycle have been fitted with innovative vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology. A range of different scenarios – including warnings of bad weather, obstacles, an emergency vehicle approaching and a braking manoeuvre by a vehicle ahead – can be reproduced in these prototypes with the aim of improving road safety. These systems, in addition to the intersection and traffic light assistance technology already presented, can now also be experienced worldwide on a BMW motorcycle.
The Emergency Vehicle Warning system uses a visual display to give the driver or motorcycle rider an early warning of an approaching emergency vehicle and its distance from the car or motorcycle. The emergency vehicle communicates its current position, route and status of the flashing lights or siren. This allows the driver or rider to make way for the emergency vehicle in good time and avoid a critical situation from arising.
The obstacle warning system flags up immobilised vehicles and accidents in the same lane, as well as roadworks and ends of tailbacks. This warning can be triggered – by the immobilised vehicle itself or by several vehicles at the end of a queue of traffic – through activation of the hazard warning lights or a braking manoeuvre.
Slippery conditions are highlighted by a bad weather warning or a warning generated by interventions by the control systems (Dynamic Stability Control etc.). Alerts of poor weather are also triggered by several vehicles switching on their fog lamps or windscreen wipers, for example. The activation algorithm is linked up with the outside temperature gauge and other sensors (rain sensor, video camera, weather report etc.) and issues relevant alerts in the Head-up Display, on the instrument cluster or audibly via the BMW motorcycle’s communications system. An early warning of slippery road conditions is a major safety factor for motorcycle riders in particular.
In queuing traffic, brake lights are frequently concealed by the next vehicle in the lane. In order to inform the drivers following behind of heavy braking at an early stage, this information is transferred via communications systems so that they can react as required. Here again, this information is relayed via visual or audible alerts.
All of these systems can be seen on the BMW Group car and motorcycle on show at the Conference. However, vehicle-to-vehicle communications only gets really interesting when as many vehicle manufacturers as possible are involved. For this reason, the communications technology at the ESV Conference is also being presented in cooperation with two Daimler AG vehicles.
photo:BMW
Source: BMW
Munich/Stuttgart. The ESV Conference (International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles) is the world’s largest and most important conference focusing on the issue of vehicle safety. The 2009 event will take place on 15 – 18 June in the new conference centre in Stuttgart, Germany under the title “Reinventing Safety: Putting Advanced Technology to Work”.
 |
| BMW ConnectedDrive - Vehicle-to-Vehicle-Communication - Obstacle warning |
Communications are the key to the future: vehicle-to-vehicle communications from BMW ConnectedDrive and BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide.
The BMW Group stand at the Conference offers visitors a glimpse into the future. Performing the role of mobile test beds, a BMW 7 Series car and BMW K 1300 S motorcycle have been fitted with innovative vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology. A range of different scenarios – including warnings of bad weather, obstacles, an emergency vehicle approaching and a braking manoeuvre by a vehicle ahead – can be reproduced in these prototypes with the aim of improving road safety. These systems, in addition to the intersection and traffic light assistance technology already presented, can now also be experienced worldwide on a BMW motorcycle.
The Emergency Vehicle Warning system uses a visual display to give the driver or motorcycle rider an early warning of an approaching emergency vehicle and its distance from the car or motorcycle. The emergency vehicle communicates its current position, route and status of the flashing lights or siren. This allows the driver or rider to make way for the emergency vehicle in good time and avoid a critical situation from arising.
The obstacle warning system flags up immobilised vehicles and accidents in the same lane, as well as roadworks and ends of tailbacks. This warning can be triggered – by the immobilised vehicle itself or by several vehicles at the end of a queue of traffic – through activation of the hazard warning lights or a braking manoeuvre.
Slippery conditions are highlighted by a bad weather warning or a warning generated by interventions by the control systems (Dynamic Stability Control etc.). Alerts of poor weather are also triggered by several vehicles switching on their fog lamps or windscreen wipers, for example. The activation algorithm is linked up with the outside temperature gauge and other sensors (rain sensor, video camera, weather report etc.) and issues relevant alerts in the Head-up Display, on the instrument cluster or audibly via the BMW motorcycle’s communications system. An early warning of slippery road conditions is a major safety factor for motorcycle riders in particular.
In queuing traffic, brake lights are frequently concealed by the next vehicle in the lane. In order to inform the drivers following behind of heavy braking at an early stage, this information is transferred via communications systems so that they can react as required. Here again, this information is relayed via visual or audible alerts.
All of these systems can be seen on the BMW Group car and motorcycle on show at the Conference. However, vehicle-to-vehicle communications only gets really interesting when as many vehicle manufacturers as possible are involved. For this reason, the communications technology at the ESV Conference is also being presented in cooperation with two Daimler AG vehicles.
 |
| BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide - Vehicle-to-Vehicle-Communication - Bad weather warning "Fog" |
photo:BMW