NEW FUTURE MARKET
  • Video: BMW’s Night Vision

    By admin

    Leftlane reader Joe sent us a video showing its vision system in action on a 7-Series. The technology is also available on the 5 Series Sedan, 5 Series Sports Wagon as well as the 6 Series Coupe and Convertible. The thermal imaging camera detects human beings, animals and objects in front of the car before they become visible to the human eye in the headlights. The image generated by the system is transmitted to the central Control Display within the car. It covers a range of up to 300 meters or almost 1,000 feet ahead of the car. BMW Night Vision offers the customer particular benefits when driving over land, down narrow lanes, through gateways leading into courtyards, and into dark underground garages, significantly enhancing driving safety at night. Video after the jump…

    31 COMMENTS

    1. photo
      John1542 days ago

      Yes, it would be nice if that nighvision screen fills up your whole field of view and everything is nice and big, like the video.

      But a small screen like that, a person on it is only a few pixels tall, and you’d have to squint and pay attention to that small screen to see.
      DRIVING HAZARD!

    2. photo
      Mike Smith1542 days ago

      I agree with John. The feature is a hazard, not help. Instead of looking forward, the driver will be looking at the little screen. Other manufacturers are getting it right: it should be a forward display on the windshield, like Corvette with its rev counter display.

    3. photo
      Anonymous1542 days ago

      John did you realize what you just said. A full HUD across the windshield would never work out with any safety codes. You stupid stupid person.

    4. photo
      gsh1542 days ago

      haha another retarded bmw option

    5. photo
      Ben1542 days ago

      Instead of there being a screen in the car, there should be a headlight/lazer or something on the car that tags the physical people.

    6. photo
      Jason1542 days ago

      Wow! Didn’t Cadillac have this 10 years ago? And they projected it onto the windshield.

    7. photo
      James mason1542 days ago

      Shouldent there be a crosshair and a joystick and perhaps a minigun option on the beemer?

    8. photo
      Jon1542 days ago

      James, that would be stealing Mercedes idea. How do you think the Nazi’s aimed for their victims? They used the MB mascot in the front of the car, and BAM! One less victim that needs to be transported via cattle car.

      Jon.

    9. photo
      Duncan1542 days ago

      Cadillac did have one, as a heads-up display, and it definitely made more sense. The example they used was deer, as I recall.

    10. photo
      Dean1542 days ago

      Why aren’t they spending money on building cars with top-notch build quality and aesthetics … instead, they keep adding crap and ignoring the fact that someone who spends an insane amount of money has to deal with fixing things like leaking tail lamp assemblies.

      Get the basics right, especially for a car at this price.

    11. photo
      Jon1542 days ago

      Dean is right.

      They need to stop adding computer after computer, program after complex program to the cars. You know why Mercedes used to be the top of the car world? Because they made perfectly engineered cars and had very little electronics. The more electronics you add to the car, the more problems there are. The reason that they have all these toys is so that they can sell the cars.

      They need to keep on finding things to add to the cars to sell them, simple as that; and the more crap they pile on, the more money they can charge: “oh, you want the night vision, the ‘special leather package’, and ‘full Sat Nav’ package, and the 26 way messaging seats with heater and air-conditioning options, plus message features? Why that’ll be another $15K please�.

      Jon.

    12. photo
      Dean1542 days ago

      The problem is, because of image, there are lemmings that will pay whatever is asked, despite poor quality … the same lemmings that will fall prey to the absolutely hysterical ad campaign now out promoting BMW’s independence.

      Too bad there are too many lemmings around (well, not for BMW).

    13. photo
      Mike1542 days ago

      On this week’s episode of “Beemer Meets Joggers with No Sense of Self-preservation…”

    14. photo
      VDub1542 days ago

      I think this thing is useless. the self parking thing by bmw on the other hand looks to be a great idea.

    15. photo
      Arne1541 days ago

      Beemer = BMW Motorcycle
      Bimmer = BMW car

    16. photo
      TW1541 days ago

      I agree with Jon completely. This electronic crap is over the line, never mind the repair/replacement costs. Makes me think twice about purchasing any of these cars preowned.

    17. photo
      MC1541 days ago

      Anyone who feels the need to point out “bimmer” vs “beemer” = anal retentive

      (What that makes me, I can’t guess.)

    18. photo
      Rob1541 days ago

      You guys are right. This is what makes Lexus so popular. Yes they’re a small step behind BMW in terms of technology advancement, but once they do decide to put something in, they get it right and make it reliable.

    19. photo
      Micah1541 days ago

      #19 :Rumor Warning:
      Lexus was the first to introduce the ‘comfort access’ ‘keyless operation’ or the ‘I’m too lazy to push a button on my FOB and put a key the ignition’ system on their top of the line LS a couple of years ago. Apparently the technology *wasn’t* perfected and when the first users tried to get back in their cars after filling up at an Exxon station, they found themselves locked out and/or unable to start the cars.

      The ‘SpeedPass’ system that Exxon uses and the comfort access system that Lexus developed operated at nearly the same frequencies, but the SpeedPass system at the pumps overwhelmed the sensors on the car and made it impossible for it to decipher where the key was.

      Lexus fixed the problem with a software update.

    20. photo
      RangeRoverBoy1541 days ago

      When I saw Night Vision and BMW in the same sentance.

      I assumed it was to help the unwashed masses see the BMW owner better when he/she drove the car at night. More exposure=more value!

    21. photo
      Mina1541 days ago

      How many of you own a BMW?

      I’m not a car person. I used to think that a car’s purpose is a form of transportation, going from POint A to Point B, the only difference is that you look better! However, after my husband went through 2 BMWs, and I finally got one of my own … I’m sold! I enjoy driving my car. I love my car. I love the iDrive. But mostly I love those BMW breaks. I have a 530, with a lot of added options, I’m dependant on my park distance control, I’m dependant on my navigation system, etc. I can honestly say that even if I can own any car out there on the market, I would still pick my BMW.

      Five days after my husband picked up his BMW bike, he hit a dear. Surprisingly he was able to ride it home and not put it down. Less than 2 weeks after that, I almost hit a dear, I was so shaken up. If this feature will assist me, its well worth it.

      Besides, I’m Asian and a woman, with double wammy against me, any help, I’ll take it!

    22. photo
      Z3 Blog » Blog Archive » http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/09/video-bmws-night-vision/1541 days ago
    23. photo
      Chris G1541 days ago

      Mercedes has better executed this idea. Instead of having the driver look away at a screen when he or she should be paying attention to the road (especially at night on an unlit road), the new S Class has the screen right in the instrument cluster, which you should be paying attention to as well since that has the speedometer in it. BMW can make this work, because they do have a head up display in the 5 series that could be implemented instead of the iDrive module.

    24. photo
      Ben1541 days ago

      This should give a quiet, audible alarm when somehting comes up on the display that matches the signature of a living thing that directs you to look at screen. Otherwie I would want to look at the screen the whole time.

    25. photo
      blogmemes.com1541 days ago

      El nuevo sistema de vision nocturna de BMW

      Si en Namibia tuvieran este sistema no tendrían problemas con los burros, ver http://www.blogmemes.com/comment.php?meme_id=1966

      Este video muestra el sistema de visión nocturna en un BMW 7–Series.

      \”Usa una cámara térmica para detectar person…

    26. photo
      Anonymous1541 days ago

      hey guy, this is an english speaking thread

    27. photo
      gsh1541 days ago

      mina – are you kidding? youre asian and a woman, ok, so you want a nightvision system that requires you to take not only your direct line of sight off the road, but also your peripheral vision? im glad bmw sold you on this terrible interation of NV. im just waiting to see all the new accidents on the 405 with bmw’s driven by asian women looking at a screen at night..it will be like autoXing but on the freeway.

    28. photo
      Jim Press1538 days ago

      Lexus and Acura have new systems that detect the presence of oncoming objects. And they also differentiate between humans and man-made objects.

    29. photo
      umzdslc1530 days ago

      qpkkrgzodo gsjnenjicc wrhxhqjc

    30. photo
      nacwlpquq1520 days ago

      nsgnnrnhk uwdcmhnjw kiwye

    31. photo
      Game WoW Quake Half Life Gamer!1425 days ago

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • REVIEW:

  • FEATURES:

  • SPECS:

  • SAFETY:

  • PRICING:


Recently Commented

  • Mark KleisHow very weird, I must have missed that in the presentation they gave us. Good
  • saabaru1LeftLane has every right to limit links, they are not here to spread the love
  • jayjc08Very good article. I'm really liking the contrast between Marks more factual articles and Jacks
  • Welty RoundelI wished him well on the last post, (and was sincere) How many well wishes
  • steve333Very nice looking. However, looks don't equal driving experience. i think people are swooning over