A revolution in driving pleasure - BMW reinvents steering.

Active Steering from BMW gives the driver unprecedented support and assistance
but keeps him in full control.

Munich. BMW is once again revolutionizing the world of driving, or to be more
precise, the world of steering. Introducing Active Steering, a unique and
innovative new system controlling the position of the front wheels precisely
according to the driver's commands. BMW is setting a new standard in agility,
comfort and safety.

In the future BMW drivers will benefit directly and noticeably from this
breakthrough in technology - on fast stretches of the highway, on winding
country roads, and when parking in town, and will enjoy even greater motoring
pleasure in the process, with Active Steering further enhancing the typical
virtues of BMW steering. Retaining its authentic feeling and feedback from
steering in every respect, the car is even more dynamic than before. At the
same time Active Steering raises motoring comfort to a new standard through its
ergonomic benefits. Last but not least, Active Steering sets a new benchmark in
traffic safety, ideally supplementing BMW's Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
suspension system, making the entire process of steering the car even more
pleasant and relaxing than before, which helps to reduce driving fatigue to an
absolute minimum.

In contrast to the systems developed by other manufacturers working on
steer-by-wire alone, without any mechanical link between the steering wheel and
the front wheels, BMW's Active Steering still incorporates a mechanical
steering column permanently connecting the steering wheel with the front wheels
of the car. This not only guarantees full maintenance of all steering functions
even if one of the assistance systems is not operating properly or breaks down
altogether, but is also the prerequisite for the authentic steering "feel" the
driver appreciates so much. By contrast, a steer-by-wire system alone is unable
to simulate such realistic feedback to the driver. This is precisely why BMW is
now becoming the first car maker in the world to consciously opt for Active
Steering as the trend setting technology leading to all-out steer-by-wire.

Development of Active Steering has now reached such a high standard that it
will be introduced soon in one of BMW's next model generations. BMW will
therefore be the first car maker in the world to offer the BMW customer the
full pleasure of dynamic motoring with enhanced safety and motoring comfort all
in one - and all this with the authentic steering experience so typical of a
BMW.

The core element of the revolutionary Active Steering system is the steering
override function provided by a planetary gearbox integrated into a split
steering column. Acting through a self-inhibiting gear wheel, an electric motor
intervenes as required in this planetary gearbox, either increasing or taking
back the steering angle of the front wheels. A further component is the
individually controlled power steering (similar to BMW Servotronic already well
known in the market) controlling steering forces as required. Interacting with
one another, these two components adjust the steering angle of the front wheels
and the steering forces on the steering wheel to the respective situation on
the road and the driver's requirements.

Under normal driving conditions Active Steering varies the steering
transmission particularly at low and medium speeds, thus making the car even
more agile and nimble in its behavior. In critical situations Active Steering
serves furthermore to change the steering angles of the wheels, thus
stabilizing the car faster and more efficiently than the driver would be able
to himself. And this offers dynamic driving advantages in many situations.

Active Steering will give the driver significant dynamic driving benefits
typically on country roads, where Active Steering chooses a more direct
steering trans-mission ratio than a conventional steering system, making the
car even more agile and nimble in its response. Quite appropriately, steering
behavior of this kind is described as that typical "kart feeling", the driver
enjoying an even more agile and dynamic motoring experience. When driving at
very low speeds, on the other hand, for example when parking in town, the
driver only has to turn the steering wheel twice thanks to this direct steering
transmission ratio in order to maneuver his BMW smoothly and without the
slightest effort into the most confined parking space.

At higher speeds, for example on the Autobahn, the steering transmission ratio
becomes increasingly indirect up to the level of a conventional steering (or
even beyond). The level of steering forces increasing at the same time prevents
any undesired and unwanted movement of the steering, giving the driver a
significantly higher standard of driving stability. Active Steering serves to
carry out driving maneuvers at high speeds even more spontaneously, keeping the
driver safely in control through purely intuitive movements of the steering.

Whenever driving stability is limited, for example on wet or slippery roads or
in crosswinds, Active Steering quickly intervenes and improves driving
stability so significantly that BMW's DSC Dynamic Stability Control only has to
intervene where really necessary. This is also the case when applying the
brakes on surfaces varying in grip (for example with the left-hand wheels
running on dry asphalt offering good and secure grip, while the wheels on the
right are running on a loose embankment or road shoulder) or when suddenly
changing direction, for example to steer clear of an animal or an obstacle
abruptly looming up in front of the car.

BMW Active Steering therefore offers a unique solution in solving the conflict
of interests typical of every conventional steering, providing harmony of
agility, stability and comfort never seen in the past. Thanks to Active
Steering, the BMW driver will benefit in future from significantly enhanced
driving comfort, safety and maneuverability, enjoying typical BMW driving
pleasure even more than before.

Redefining the joy of dynamic driving -
Active Steering makes driving a BMW an even greater experience.

BMW's Active Steering, a true breakthrough in steering technology, supports the
driver at all speeds, particularly in the lower and medium speed range where
dynamic steering offers a genuine increase in driving pleasure.

Munich. A typical bend on a winding country road becoming tighter and tighter
all the time, an Alpine pass twisting through the mountains, a high-speed
stretch of the Autobahn - everyday situations for the motorist where one
quality is of particular significance: the correct steering response.

In a situation like this the car must meet a wide range of different
requirements. At medium speeds, for example, the front wheels must respond as
directly as possible to the driver's commands. With increasing road speeds on
the other hand, the steering transmission should become less direct. The
demands made on the steering system therefore vary most significantly from case
to case, with the overriding requirement that the driver always receives
authentic feedback from the steering system itself.

Now BMW has succeeded in meeting all these seemingly contradictory requirements
without making the slightest compromise. Introducing BMW Active Steering, a
worldwide innovation in dynamic steering control, solving the fundamental
conflict of interest characteristic of every conventional steering system, by
providing the perfect combination of agility, stability and comfort.

On a conventional steering system the driver's steering commands are always
conveyed the same way due to the strictly defined transmission ratio between
the steering wheel and the front wheels of the car (even if the transmission
becomes more progressive with increasing wheel lock). Direct steering that
would be ideal at low speeds remains direct, although a much more indirect
steering transmission ratio would be appropriate at high speeds in order to
compensate for the physically induced increase in steering sensitivity as a
function of higher speeds on the road. Conversely, the same also applies to
indirect steering: The ideal steering transmission ratio at high speeds makes
the process of steering hard work at lower speeds, requiring the driver to turn
the steering wheel much more and with much higher forces than necessary related
to the position of the wheels on the road. Conventional steering systems,
therefore, are always a compromise of these two extremes.

BMW's innovative Active Steering now revolutionizes the entire steering process
by overriding this seemingly insoluble conflict of interests, varying the
steering angle of the front wheels specifically according to the driver's
requirements. In this process, Active Steering combines the advantages of all
electronic steer-by-wire steering without any mechanical link between the
steering wheel and the front wheels (purely electronic transmission of signals)
with the authentic steering feedback that only a mechanical steering system is
currently able to provide. Accordingly, Active Steering sets a new standard in
agility, comfort and safety on the road.

In technical terms the various functions and benefits offered by Active
Steering are based on the principle of overlapping steering angles: An
electromechanical adjuster between the steering wheel and the steering gearbox
adds an additional steering angle to the angle predetermined by the driver. The
core element of BMW's revolutionary Active Steering is therefore the override
steering effect provided by the planetary gearing with two incoming and one
outgoing shaft integrated in the split steering column. One incoming shaft is
connected with the steering wheel, the second is driven by an electric motor
via a self-inhibiting gear wheel transmission and thus serving to reduce the
transmission ratio. The overall steering angle finally coming out on the
outgoing shaft is made up of the angle determined by the driver on the steering
wheel and the angle determined by the electric motor. Steering forces when
turning the wheels, however, are not determined by the electric motor, but
rather by conventional power stee

ring assistance. Additional components of Active Steering are the separate
control unit and various sensors for determining both current driving
conditions and the driver's commands. And last but not least, Active Steering
communicates directly with the DSC control unit through the car's on-board
communication network.

Depending on driving conditions, Active Steering either increases or reduces
the steering angle on the front wheels. At low speeds the actuator follows the
driver's steering commands, increasing wheel lock at the front and reducing the
effort required in steering. On the road this means a far more direct steering
transmission ratio than with conventional cars up to a medium speed level,
steering forces remaining comfortably low as with BMW's well-known Servotronic.

At high speeds the actuator operates by reducing the steering angle. This
reduces the steering lock on the front wheels and makes the steering
transmission ratio more indirect, thus providing the high standard of a
conventional BMW steering on fast stretches of the Autobahn. Steering forces
are increased in the process in order to prevent any undesired movement of the
steering wheel.

In critical situations on the road Active Steering modifies the position of the
drive wheels determined by the driver, thus stabilizing the car much faster and
more efficiently than the driver would be able to do himself.

Making its appearance soon in the first BMW model series and then being
introduced step-by-step in other BMWs, Active Steering offers the BMW driver
even greater motoring pleasure in future - motoring pleasure the driver will
enjoy directly in every situation. Quite simply, this is because Active
Steering enhances the typical virtues of BMW steering, making the car even more
agile and nimble at low and medium speeds while retaining that authentic
steering feedback and even offering a genuine "kart" feeling at low speed
levels.

Active Steering also serves to enhance steering comfort. While the driver has
to turn the steering wheel approximately three times in a current BMW from lock
to lock, active steering reduces this control process to just two turns of the
steering wheel by cutting back the steering wheel angle at low and medium road
speeds. The driver will immediately enjoy the reduced steering force, for
example when maneuvering in confined parking spaces or when taking a sharp turn
in town.

Crossing over your hands on the steering wheel, for example on a winding
mountain pass, is hardly necessary any more with Active Steering. So while the
driver often has no choice in a car with conventional steering but to cross
over his arms, in a BMW equipped with Active Steering his hands will always
remain where they should be: in exactly the right position on the steering
wheel. This guarantees unrestricted, smooth and easy operation of the
multifunction buttons and SMG paddles shifting the Sequential Manual Gearbox
directly on the steering wheel, ensuring superior safety and response in every
situation on the road.

The greater agility and enhanced dynamic performance provided by Active
Steering comes out particularly clearly in the slalom test, simulating sudden
steering maneuvers at low and medium speeds: Active Steering gives the driver
much better control of the car than conventional steering, combined with
significantly enhanced steering precision and an equally significant reduction
of steering forces. And ultimately, the greater comfort and control provided by
Active Steering helps to keep the driver fit and avoid any fatigue at the wheel.

With increasing road speeds, Active Steering reduces the steering wheel lock
and makes the steering transmission ratio more indirect. To put it in simple
terms, the driver would now have to move the steering wheel further than at low
speeds in order to obtain the same lock on the front wheels. This efficiently
avoids common mistakes at the wheel, for example with the driver abruptly
wrenching round the steering wheel when panicking at high speeds. A further
advantage of an indirect steering transmission ratio at high speeds, finally,
is the perfect straight-line tracking stability.

Agility, comfort and - last but not least - safety. These are the benefits
provided by Active Steering acting as an ideal match for BMW Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC). In critical driving situations - for example when suddenly
changing direction at high speeds on the highway in order to pass another
vehicle and move back in line - all vehicles tend to oversteer with the car
following a smaller curve radius than dictated by the steering and therefore
provoke potentially violent yaw reactions (with the car spinning round its
vertical axis), and the driver possibly losing control of his car altogether.
In such a situation Active Steering intervenes by dampening any yaw motion
right from the start, stabilizing the car smoothly and efficiently, with the
driver and passengers hardly noticing the system at all. As a result, DSC
Dynamic Stability Control featured in the driver's BMW is not required to
intervene to the same extent as usual. And unlike DSC which reduces road speed
(albeit in some cases only very sligh

tly) through intervention of the brakes, Active Steering only modifies the
steering angle and therefore keeps its stabilizing effect almost unnoticeable.
DSC therefore only intervenes if Active Steering is unable to keep the car
under control, meaning that the two systems are a perfect match, with Active
Steering supplementing DSC in an ideal manner.

In contrast to systems being developed by other carmakers with the focus on
steer-by-wire alone, without any mechanical link between the steering wheel and
the drive wheels, Active Steering still features a mechanical steering column
permanently connecting the steering wheel and the front wheels. This guarantees
fully functioning steering even if any of the assistance systems might be
defective or break down altogether. "Simple" steer-by-wire systems, on the
other hand, require comprehensive and multiple redundancies and back-up units
far more complicated and expensive for the driver.

Mechanical steering is also necessary in order to give the driver the authentic
feedback he wishes to feel at the steering wheel. Currently no "genuine"
steer-by-wire system is in a position to simulate a realistic feeling of actual
motoring conditions. A further point is that complete isolation of the driver
through all-electronic steering would not fit in with BMW's motoring
philosophy. Active Steering serves consciously to reduce the steering activity
required of the driver.

Opting in favour of Active Steering, BMW is not giving up the development of
"genuine" steer-by-wire solutions. Rather, BMW is the first car maker in the
world to complete the development of Active Steering as a trendsetting
innovation on the way to all-out steer-by-wire concepts, thus introducing this
new technology in one of BMW's next model generations. The big advantage for
the BMW customer is an even more dynamic driving experience with superior
safety and motoring comfort, while at the same time retaining all the authentic
steering and driving characteristics so typical of a BMW.

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America has been present in the United States since 1975. Since
then, the BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales
and financial service organizations for the BMW and MINI brands; a South
Carolina manufacturing operation; DESIGNWORKS/USA, an industrial design firm in
California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations
throughout the country. The BMW Group is represented in the U.S. through
networks of 340 BMW car, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle, 148 BMW Motorcycle
retailers and 59 MINI car dealers. BMW US Holding Corp., the Group's
headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff
Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet
at http://www.bmwusa.com http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com and
http://www.miniusa.com.

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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available
to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address -
www.press.bmwgroup.com