Met de introductie van de Neue Klasse breidt BMW zijn standaard actieve veiligheidsvoorzieningen uit.

Munich. The launch of the Neue Klasse marks the first time BMW will offer an expanded portfolio of active safety assistance systems as standard across multiple model series. Among them is an exit warning function with active door opening delay, helping to prevent so-called dooring accidents. The BMW iX3 was the first Neue Klasse production model to feature these technologies, with further models including the BMW i3, BMW X5 and BMW 7 Series to follow.

"The broad rollout of our new active safety functions as standard is based on our 'Smart, Symbiotic, Safe' philosophy. We bring drivers and assistance systems together into a cooperative system that works in harmony. At BMW, active safety functions operate as quiet, intelligent companions in the background, discreet yet highly effective when it matters most in critical situations,” says Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Senior Vice President Driving Experience Development at the BMW Group.

Active safety assistance systems support drivers in critical driving, parking and exit scenarios. Analysis of customer-consented data from BMW’s intelligently connected vehicle fleet demonstrates that these functions contribute to greater road safety. In the last month alone, the fleet analysed* in Europe covered 1.6 billion kilometres. Customers were alerted to potential collisions around 8 million times through visual and acoustic warnings. In 243,977 cases, active steering and braking interventions by assistance systems helped prevent a potential collision.

BMW Symbiotic Drive takes driver assistance in BMW’s new vehicle generation to a new level by creating an intuitive partnership between driver and vehicle. The system understands the driver’s intentions through steering inputs and line of sight, enabling assistance functions to intervene only when necessary. As a result, functions such as the Lane Keeping Assistant only provide warnings or steering interventions when the vehicle detects an unintended lane departure or an imminent collision. When a manoeuvre is initiated deliberately by the driver, the system does not intervene, provided there is no foreseeable risk of a collision or the vehicle leaving the roadway. Indicators of driver intent include activating the turn signal, making an active steering input or performing a shoulder check.

The new BMW iX3 received the top rating of five stars in the latest safety test conducted by the independent testing organization Euro NCAP, significantly exceeding the required scores. The BMW iX3 was one of the first vehicles to be evaluated according to the test protocols that were fundamentally revised in 2026. The NCAP result confirms BMW’s holistic approach to safety.

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New Exit Warning can prevent “dooring accidents” more effectively.

Dooring accidents occur when the door of a parked vehicle unexpectedly opens into the traffic lane. This is particularly dangerous for cyclists. According to the German Insurance Association, 8% of all bicycle accidents in Berlin in 2024 were related to dooring**. The exit warning has been standard equipment on many BMW models for years and alerts drivers to potential hazards with both audible and visual signals. With the launch of the Neue Klasse, this feature is being expanded as standard to include active door opening delay. Using side radars, the system continuously monitors the traffic area around the parked vehicle and detects approaching vehicles, bicycles, or other road users. If a risk of collision is detected, the electronic door lock specifically delays the opening of the door until the danger has passed.

New and enhanced features highlight BMW's expertise in safety. 

In addition to the cooperative Lane Keeping Assistant and the improved exit warning, numerous innovations and enhancements demonstrate BMW’s extensive expertise in active safety technologies. These systems are designed to provide reliable support when needed, while remaining discreet and non-intrusive in everyday driving. They include, among others: 

• For the first time, the emergency steering intervention automatically steer the vehicle around an obstacle while keeping it within its own lane – for example, if a person steps onto the road between two vehicles after a breakdown, or if a cyclist is overlooked in low-light conditions. This feature is currently unique among competitors.
• In situations with a risk of a side-impact collision, the emergency steering intervention also helps prevent accidents – for example, when another vehicle is getting dangerously close. A brief, active steering intervention gently steers the vehicle away from the object within its own lane, given  sufficient space to maneuver has been detected.
• The Emergency Brake Assistant with evasive steering support helps prevent imminent head-on collisions. It can automatically apply the brakes up to full deceleration. Thanks to improved sensor technology, the feature can also assist in situations involving animals on the road and wildlife crossings.
• The Road Priority Warning now assists drivers even more effectively by displaying recognized traffic signs in the BMW Panoramic Vision display directly in the driver's field of view. In addition to red traffic lights, yield signs, stop signs, and no-entry signs, this now also includes warnings at crosswalks.
• The Attentiveness Assistant with emergency stop can provide support in medical emergencies. If the driver camera detects that the driver is no longer fit to drive, the system temporarily takes control of the vehicle. It brings the vehicle to a controlled stop. In doing so, it automatically activates the hazard lights and triggers an eCall. The driver can override the system at any time.

More safety features parking and maneuvering. 

Enhanced and further refined safety assistance systems can also help prevent collisions during parking and manoeuvring.

• Active Park Distance Control can prevent collisions using ultrasonic sensors and surround-view cameras. The feature applies the brakes at the rear – and, for the first time, on the sides as well – to bring the vehicle to a stop when it detects stationary or moving objects.
• When backing out of a parking space onto busy streets – a maneuver that often offers limited visibility – the emergency braking function for cross-traffic can prevent serious accidents involving cyclists and other road users. The rear side radars scan the surrounding area. The rearview camera and the bird’s-eye-view display on the Central Display provide additional visibility.
• The standard start monitoring detects potential pedal misapplications. A typical example is confusing the accelerator with the brake. If the system detects an obstacle less than one meter away at speeds of up to 2 km/h and, at the same time, an unusually rapid and forceful depression of the accelerator pedal, it intervenes. The vehicle then brakes in a controlled manner, either forward or backward, until it comes to a stop.

BMW Panoramic iDrive provides clarity for the driver.

With the new generation of sensors and the improved Assisted View display in the BMW Operating System X, the current driving situation is presented with precision and in great detail. The visualizations are shown on the Central Display, the Panoramic Vision, or optionally on the 3D Head-Up Display. They help the driver intuitively grasp traffic conditions and detected objects and provide additional clarity regarding the currently active driver assistance systems and their interventions.

New high-performance computer integrates all driver-assistance functions.

With the new BMW iX3 and subsequent models, BMW is laying the technical foundation for the next generation of intelligent, symbiotic, and safe driver-assistance systems. All new active safety, automated driving, and automated parking functions are managed by the central “Superbrain of Automated Driving.” This water-cooled high-performance computer has approximately 20 times the computing power of the previous system.

New test site in Sokolov is paying off.

The “Future Mobility Development Center” (FMDC) test facility in Sokolov, Czech Republic, which opened in 2023, has made a significant contribution to the development of new active safety systems and driver-assistance features.

“The Future Mobility Development Center in Sokolov is much more than a proving ground for us. It is a central component of our development strategy enabling us to bring innovations in advanced driving assistance systems to series production quickly, safely and with a clear customer focus. This unique testing environment allows us to recreate real-world driving scenarios under highly demanding and reproducible conditions. As a result, we are reinforcing the BMW Group’s technological leadership for the long term.,” says Dr. Martin Sautter, Senior Vice President Vehicle Certification at the BMW Group.

At around 600 hectares, the BMW Group’s largest proving ground worldwide offers approximately 25 kilometres of test tracks for validating realistic driving and traffic scenarios under reproducible conditions. These range from urban traffic and motorway driving to automated parking manoeuvres. The state-of-the-art facility complements virtual driving simulations and millions of kilometres of testing on public roads in extreme heat, snow and ice across Europe, North America, South Africa and China.

* 1.3 million BMW vehicles equipped with the previous generation of driver-assistance technology, whose owners have given their active consent to data collection.
** According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), there were 392 "dooring" accidents in Berlin alone in 2024, accounting for just under 8 percent of all bicycle accidents in Berlin.

Q&A: Short Answers to the Most Important Questions

What is new in terms of active safety with the Neue Klasse?

With its new generation of driver-assistance systems, BMW is offering even more active safety features as standard across all model lines. These systems support driving, parking, and exiting the vehicle safely. They provide reliable support when needed, while remaining discreet and non-intrusive in the background in everyday driving.

What makes BMW's new exit warning special?

The new exit warning can detect approaching road users and actively delay the opening of the door if there is a risk of collision. This helps prevent dangerous “dooring” accidents, which occur when a car door is unexpectedly opened into the traffic lane. This is particularly dangerous for cyclists.

What does BMW Symbiotic Drive mean?

BMW Symbiotic Drive enables intuitive interaction between the driver and the driver assistance systems. All systems provide targeted support when a potential hazard is detected, while remaining quiet, intelligent companions in the background when no intervention is required.

What makes active safety assistance systems with BMW Symbiotic Drive special?

The system understands the driver’s intentions through steering inputs and line of sight, enabling assistance functions to intervene only when necessary. As a result, functions such as the Lane Keeping Assistant only provide warnings or steering interventions when the vehicle detects an unintended lane departure or an imminent collision.

What role does the new proving ground in Sokolov play?

BMW tests real-world driving and traffic scenarios there under reproducible conditions. This supports the development and robust validation of new assistance systems.