Drive better in the dark: The BMW 7 Series debuts BMW Night Vision - the world's first Far Infrared System

- In tandem with BMW High Beam Assist, these new driver assistance
systems will increase safety and comfort when driving at night. - With
the thermal imaging camera of BMW Night Vision, people, animals and
objects can be detected early on. - BMW is the first premium
manufacturer in Europe to use Far Infrared (FIR) technology. According
to scientific studies, FIR is best suited for the detection of living
beings at night. - High-Beam Assist automatically activates and
deactivates the high beam. - More use of the high beam, no dazzling of
other road users, relief for the driver, increased safety. With
cattle, goats and pedestrians, as well as the odd broken down truck
being repaired on a lonely country road, driving in South Africa
presents its own set of unique challenges, and even more so at night.
In fact, driving in the dark remains one of the most strenuous driving
situations and, for obvious reasons, one of the most dangerous,
particularly on South Africa's rural roads. However, with the new
driver assistance systems BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist, BMW
drivers will be able to drive with even greater foresight in half-light
conditions and at night. Critical situations can be identified earlier
than was previously possible and one's driving style adapted
accordingly. For years, BMW has developed innovative technologies such
as these, which improve general road safety, not only for BMW drivers
but for other road users as well. However, it's not just driver safety
that increases. In addition to providing a significant safety bonus,
it's far more relaxing to any driver when potentially critical
situations are detected early on and redundant operations avoided. With
these new systems, BMW drivers will thus experience a significant gain
in comfort, too. BMW Night Vision: Innovative infrared technology for
greater security in the dark. Relief of the driver and active partner
protection. So, how does BMW Night Vision work? A thermal imaging
camera covers an area up to 300 m in front of the vehicle creating an
image of objects ahead of the vehicle but out of "sight" of
the headlights. The more brilliantly the object the on the central
monitor is displayed, the greater the warmth registered by the camera.
Thus people (pedestrians at the edge of the road) and animals (domestic
and wild animals crossing the road), because of their high infrared
heat signature, would thus be the brightest areas of the image - at the
same time these are the most important points to concentrate on when
driving responsibly. BMW Night Vision offers customers particular
benefits over routes through the country, along narrow roads, entrance
drives and in dark underground garages, tangibly increasing safety when
driving at night. Night vision: two different technologies on the
market. Based on comparative studies, BMW engineers have opted for the
innovative Far Infrared (FIR) technology since it best meets the goal
of detecting people, animals and objects at night. Scientific studies
also prove that FIR is a more suitable technology than Near Infrared
(NIR) for performing this function. In addition to the fundamental
advantages of FIR, BMW has extended the technology by adding other
functional features. For example, the image section follows the course
of the road (panning) and objects in the distance can be enlarged
(zoom). BMW Night Vision is activated/deactivated simply by means of a
switch next to the light switch, and is planned to be available, both
locally and internationally, in the BMW 7 Series as of fourth quarter
2005. BMW Night Vision Far Infrared camera. The thermal imaging
camera is installed in the front bumper at the left in its own housing.
It is protected by impact-resistant glass and a fine grid. The camera
cleaner jet is activated along with the windscreen washer system and
ensures a clear view at all times; at outside temperatures below + 5
degrees, the glass cover is heated. The camera operates with a
resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a range of some 300 m, the image
sensor registers heat radiated from people and objects within a wave
band of 8 - 14 µm. At speeds below 80 km/h, the large horizontal
aperture angle of the camera of 36 degrees means that not only the road
can be identified but also the areas at the side of the road and
surroundings (pedestrians, animals). BMW Night Vision control unit.
The control unit receives data from the camera and converts it into an
image on the central monitor. Depending on outside conditions, the
image is electronically brightened or darkened. At a medium road
speed, the section shown on the monitor covers an angle of 24 degrees,
at the same time this section moves as the road turns - up to 6 degrees
to the left or right. This so-called panning movement is controlled by
the steering angle of the front wheels. From a higher speed, a digital
zoom can be activated which displays objects at a greater distance in
1.5:1 enlargement. Display on the on-board monitor. BMW Night Vision
provides the driver with the night vision image as a contrasting
black-and-white display on the central monitor in the instrument panel.
Use of the Head-Up Display was considered by BMW. However, tests showed
that the superimposition of real and virtual image information causes
irritation and is therefore not optimum. High-Beam Assist: More use
of high beam on the road. Relief for the driver. With High-Beam Assist,
also available from fourth quarter 2005 in the BMW 5 Series, 6 Series
and 7 Series, a camera sensor integrated in the rear mirror casing
registers activity on the road and automatically controls the activation
and deactivation of the high beam. The system identifies the headlights
and rear lights of vehicles, as well as the surrounding road lighting.
The high beam switches on in the absence of vehicles on the road ahead
or oncoming traffic, provided the road itself is not sufficiently
illuminated. BMW is the first European premium manufacturer to offer
such a system. A scientific study in the US has shown that the high
beam is used very rarely, although such use is possible and even
desirable in many situations. High-Beam Assist makes a significant
contribution to ensuring the high-beam is used more frequently. It also
prevents other road users from being dazzled if the driver switches to
low beam too late or not at all. At the same time it relieves the
driver and increases comfort. All in all, High-Beam Assist increase
driver safety immeasurably. Function. The high beam is automatically
deactivated in the following situations: - In the case of oncoming
traffic (including motorcycles). Here the system recognises the high or
low beam of vehicles. - In the case of vehicles driving ahead. The red
rear lights of vehicles are recognised. - In the case of sufficient
street lighting, i.e. in built-up areas. - At low speeds, when driving
with the high beam does not provide any increase in safety. The system
also analyses the brightness and light colour of the light source so as
to imitate human use of the high beam as closely as possible. It is
designed so that road users within a range of up to around 1,000 m are
detected. Familiar use without additional switches. High-Beam Assist
does not require additional switches or operating elements. It is
activated by means of the light control unit by putting the rotational
knob on automatic (same position as for the activation of the light
sensor for automatic control of the low beam). In addition, the
direction indicator lever must be pushed towards high beam, if
currently on low beam. A control lamp in the instrument panel indicates
that High-Beam Assist is activated. Xenon light, Adaptive Headlight,
High-Beam Assist, BMW Night Vision: BMW initiative for safe and relaxed
driving at night. BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist represent the
current high point of an initiative by BMW to make night-time driving
safer for all road users and to offer the driver increased comfort.
Xenon light, which provides significantly increased headlight brilliance
and range, was introduced in 1991 (Bi-Xenon for low and high beam in
2001). It was followed by the Adaptive Headlight in 2003, whose
horizontally swivelling headlamps ensure considerably improved
illumination of the road ahead. BMW driver assistance systems:
Intelligent relief of the driver, without taking away control The
function of BMW driver assistance systems is to support the driver in
certain situations without taking away his responsibility. The driver
remains the sole "master" of the vehicle. On the one hand,
driver assistance systems serve the purpose of providing the driver
with improved information on potential dangers or giving him an early
warning. On the other hand they provide relief by taking on simple,
repetitive tasks. In general, more information is a bonus in road
traffic: up to 50% of all serious accidents are caused by the fact that
the driver did not have information early enough. A linear increase
in the quantity of information is not the aim, however. Important
information must be qualitatively processed and made available at the
right moment. Therefore, in addition to increasing safety for vehicle
occupants and other road users, BMW driver assistance systems also
increase driving pleasure, ensuring that BMW remains the utlimate
driving machine.