It appears that BMW is following in the footsteps of Mercedes-Benz with the imminent release of its Personal Pilot L3 for the German market. As a Level 3 system, the BMW Personal Pilot L3 allows vehicles to be operated while the driver’s attention is temporarily diverted from the road.
As noted in a press release, BMW Personal Pilot L3 would be available in the new BMW 7 Series. Considering the system’s L3 nature, the advanced driver assistance system would effectively control the car’s speed, distance to the vehicle ahead and lane positioning without any input from the driver. The BMW Personal Pilot L3 is available exclusively for the German market for now, and it’s priced at 6,000 euros.
Similar to Mercedes-Benz’s DRIVE PILOT, which is also a Level 3 system, BMW Personal Pilot L3 only works under certain conditions. For example, the system can only be used on highways with separated lanes at speeds up to 60 km/h. However, BMW is quick to point out that its system is unique in that it actually works in the dark.
Once BMW Personal Pilot L3 is activated, drivers can engage in secondary activities in the vehicle, including those that require them to take their eyes off the road. These include checking and editing emails, deepening phone conversations and accessing streaming services.
This was hinted at in images from BMW’s press release about the program, which showed video streaming services being broadcast on the vehicle’s infotainment displays. Similar to other advanced driver assistance systems, BMW Personal Pilot L3 would alert the driver when manual intervention is required. These warnings would come in the form of visual and audible alerts. BMW noted that if the driver is unresponsive, the vehicle would be brought to a controlled stop.
BMW’s release of a Level 3 system in Germany bodes well for the system’s release in markets such as the United States. Finally, Mercedes-Benz first released its DRIVE PILOT system in Germany in May 2022. This year, the German luxury automaker began receiving approvals for its Level 3 system in the United States, starting with Nevada. Assuming a successful rollout in Germany, it would not be surprising to see BMW Personal Pilot L3 released in the U.S. sometime next year.
