BMW will now stop on red. And it’s not the only news from Munich

BMW will now offer the Urban Cruise Control function on selected models. It recognizes traffic lights and, in cooperation with adaptive cruise control with a stop & go function on a red vehicle, stops itself.

BMW will traditionally adjust its range of models in the autumn. It modifies the range of engines on offer, improves equipment or offers new functions. Of course, it also proceeded to modernize its production program this year, with the main emphasis on new assistance systems and the electrification of supply.

From the point of view of electronic assistants, the most interesting feature is definitely Urban Cruise Control, available as part of the Driving Assistant Professional package for the 3, 5, 6, 8 and SUV series X5, X6 and X7. With the exception of the 8 Series, this equipment will be available for vehicles manufactured from July 2020, and existing owners can then obtain it as part of a remote software update. At the moment, however, the system is available for the German market, the availability for the Czech market has yet to be specified.

The function extends the operation of adaptive cruise control with the stop & go function with the ability to recognize traffic lights. Thanks to this, the car can detect red at traffic lights and stop automatically at the intersection if necessary. When green, the driver then signals that he can drive.

The system uses stereo cameras that have so far registered vehicles or traffic signs. However, BMW emphasizes that Urban Cruise Control only works in situations where it is clear that the traffic light belongs to a given lane. At more complex intersections, for example when each lane has its own traffic light, the car only warns the driver of the situation and he must confirm the stop signal if necessary.

The carmaker is also attracted to the new BMW News function, which, based on individual driver selection, reads selected news from selected publishers in spoken word via the audio system. In the case of plug-in hybrids, the voice-controlled digital companion, in turn, can now switch the driving mode. However, the voice assistant is no longer available in Czech.

As for the news under the hood, the carmakers focused primarily on electrification. The 5 Series will be upgraded with three more plug-in hybrid versions as the 545e xDrive Sedan, 530e Touring and 530e xDrive Touring complement the existing 530e Sedan and BMW 530e xDrive Sedan.

Other innovations are mildhybrid, as BMW continues to expand its range of cars with a 48V on-board network to reduce fuel consumption. These come together with the deployment of a new generation of engines, specifically the current in-line six-cylinder diesel, which is complemented by a 48V starter-generator delivering 8 kW. To reduce emissions, they also lack the latest generation of exhaust gas cleaning technology containing an oxidation catalyst and an SRC coating on the particulate filter.

From autumn 2020, the new engine will be used in the 330d, in both body versions or in combination with all-wheel drive. Its engine with a two-stage supercharging system and the latest generation of common-rail injection with piezo-electric injectors operating at pressures up to 1200 bar will now offer 210 kW and 650 Nm of torque. That’s 15 kW and 30 Nm more, respectively.

In the case of the 8 series, we are talking about the 840d xDrive engine, available for all offered body variants. Also in this case, the six-cylinder boosted by 15 kW, to the resulting 250 kW. The torque is 700 Nm. Higher power was also achieved by multi-stage supercharging with variable geometry of the distribution vanes for high-pressure and low-pressure turbochargers.

BMW did not forget about its compact models either. The 116i comes with an 80 kW three-cylinder petrol engine with 190 Nm of torque, which will be available with a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 120i, in turn, is powered by a 131 kW four-cylinder petrol engine, coupled to a dual-clutch transmission as standard. We must not forget the 216d Gran Coupé with a diesel three-cylinder with an output of 85 kW and a dual-clutch transmission.