When BMW launched the new 7 Series back in April, the automaker mentioned that the flagship model will get its active driver assist technologies. Not only that, but the 7er will also get a new Level 2+ hands-free driving system.
And while we already tested the Level 2+ system in our 7 Series prototype test drive prior to the global launch, which we found to be quite intuitive, BMW has disclosed additional information about the new tech. In a release, BMW said that the tech will be using Here HD Live Map, the company's high-definition map.
According to BMW, the usage of the Here HD Live Map will allow hands-free driving in the US and Canada. Here is one of the world's first companies to provide high-definition maps for Level 2+ automated driving capabilities in series production vehicles.
Of note, the new 2023 BMW 7 Series is said to be the first vehicle to roll out SAE Level 2+ automated driving at speeds up to 85 miles per hour (137 kilometers per hour) in the US and Canada.
What's new with Here's HD Live Map? Apparently, the map provides rich, highly accurate, and fresh layers of data so that the vehicle would know exactly where it is on the road and what road features lie ahead. It acts as a redundant source of info that works with the 7 Series' sensors.
Here also allows the 7 Series to use Predictive Routing, which is a cloud-based routing functionality that learns individual driving patterns to propose more personalized journeys. It also uses Here's Real Time Traffic across 70 countries.
BMW said that the Level 2+ hands-free driving system will be available in other Bimmers as the tech becomes widespread.
The first customer deliveries of the new 7 Series in the United States are scheduled for November this year.
