(c)BMW 

BMW has announced its new 5 Series Sedan this week, including a raft of new connected car features.

BMW is also apparently the first car maker to feature wireless Apple CarPlay, which connects a supported iPhone and allows a user to get directions, make calls, etc, in a safer manner.

But that’s certainly not the most impressive connected feature of the 5 Series Sedan, which will arrive on the market in February 2017.

The lightweight car will feature assistance systems, including a stereo camera, which teams up with additional radar and ultrasound sensors to monitor the area around the car.

Lane and parking assistants

New features alongside the evasion aid and crossing traffic warning are the lane change assistant and lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection to help the driver avoid collisions by applying corrective steering inputs.

In this model, BMW has also has extended functions for the option active cruise control system and steering and lane keeping assistant. These include adoption of speed restrictions, which the optional, intelligent speed assist communicates to the cruise control system.

This means that from rest to 120km per hour, the car can relieve the driver of acceleration, braking and steering duties.

We see technological leadership, emotionally rich products and digitalisation as essential factors in achieving success

Inside, the car has the latest generation of the iDrive system, which displays navigation, phone and  entertainment features, as well as vehicle functions, on a high-res 10.25 inch screen.

This works via the iDrive controller, by voice command/gestures or via touch. The latest gen BMW Head Up Display has a projection surface will have a 70% bigger than before, displaying traffic signs, phone listings, radio stations, music tracks, nav instructions and warnings from assistance systems.

Further to this, its BMW ConnectedDrive features have expended to ParkNow technology for digital parking space reservation and payment, on-street parking information, intelligent parking space function and an optional parking assistant.

Personal connectivity

The car also includes a Microsoft Exchange service for Microsoft Office 365 users to sync their email accounts, calendar entries and contacts. As mentioned above, it’s also got Apple CarPlay and a WiFi hotspot for up to 10 devices.

The seven generation of this BMW series also includes the next stage of BMW Connected, a digital mobility assistant that’s been out since July 2016, Connected Onboard. This will give drivers an overview of mobility related info, in addition to remote 3D view, which allows drivers to see 3D views of the area around their car on their smartphone.

There’s plenty more information on BMW’s official blog announcing the car, which is definitely a step forward in the connected car landscape. 

“We see technological leadership, emotionally rich products and digitalisation as essential factors in achieving success,” said Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG.