from mwerks.com

June 03 2009

While the MWerks office is obviously bristling with excitement any time a new 7 Series debuts, we've got to be honest; that initial exuberance is generally followed immediately by a sigh. That's because while each new 7 promises to be more incredible than the last, it's also bound to come with so much new technology that we'd probably have an easier job running a NASA fan site.

Well, we've done our first drive of the 2009 750i, we've written our impressions for you, and now we've had a chance to spend a week with a second example. We think we're now qualified to give you the rundown of all the car's new tech features, how they work, and how useful we think they are, on a scale where "5" represents the most useable technologies. So, in no particular order, here we go.

I Can See You. . . and You. . . and You

The E65/66 7 Series forwent a backup camera and instead relied on proximity sensors that displayed a oozing blob of green, yellow, and red around an on-screen, overhead view of the car to aid drivers in parking lots. In an effort to catch up to and pass the competition (that's what this segment is all about, after all) BMW has seen it fit to give the new F01 car not one, not two, but three cameras. There's the usual one in back, mounted above the license plate, giving a clear view of the back of one's garage or the bumper of another parked car, but the new 7 has two additional cameras up front, one at each corner. All the cameras are part of one single "camera package" that costs a modest $750.



The two front cameras can be used for parking, but that isn't their primary job. Instead, they provide a wide-angled view out to each side. At a tight intersection where buildings or other vehicles might be blocking the driver's view, these cameras move the driver's eyes from their inconvenient spot aft of the long hood to a position right up on the bumper. The two screens, activated by a button near the shifter, are displayed side-by-side at slight angles denoting each side of the car. Additionally, a yellow line at the bottom of each screen denotes the plane created by the car's front end.

This is one of those technologies that, like hill decent control or active cruise control, you just don't quite feel ready to trust. You want to believe that behind the plumber's van waiting to turn left, there truly isn't any traffic coming, but it seems to ridiculous to trust the camera and jump out without a getting a clear view for yourself. Still, it works as it should and is definitely nice for edging out of alleys and making sure some biker isn't going to whack your shiny paint. And we always appreciate a nice backup camera, especially when it uses the new 7's huge navigation screen.
MWerks Usefulness Index: 4.5


BMW Lazy Assist (BLA)

No, that subtitle isn't a real thing, but the 750i's $1350 Driver Assistance Package is basically just that. It's comprised of high beam assist (to avoid the painful task of moving one hand,) active blind spot detection (no more exhaustive eye and neck movements,) and, in case that lack of activity makes the driver sleepy, lane departure warning.

High Beam Assist is a pretty straightforward system; it uses a sensor on the windshield (hidden behind the rearview mirror) to determine the amount of ambient light, using that information to automatically activate or deactivate the high beams. Our busy, streetlight-illuminated routes through Chicagoland didn't allow us to test the 750i's version of the system, but we've used similar devices before. They work well but, like push-button starts, are the solution to a problem no one really knew was there.
MWerks Usefulness Index: 3.0



The 750i's Active Blindspot Detection, a brand new technology to the whole BMW brand, is a bit more useful. The system uses sensors at the rear of the car to monitor 200 feet of adjacent lane traffic. A small warning triangle lights up when a car is within a predetermined danger area then flashes if the driver activates the turn signal. It also works in tandem with Lane Departure Warning, vibrating the steering wheel as an added warning to avoid a lane change. We're pretty good about setting our mirrors to eliminate blind spots, but with a car as large as the 750i, it's nice to have the extra warning system for some situations and times, like in the morning while our cup of joe is still cooling down to drinking temperature.
MWerks Usefulness Index: 4.5


Read the full story at mwerks.com