Quote:
Originally Posted by stealth.pilot
Hmmm. A bit disappointed here.
I love the new iDrive.
However:
- Drivers assistance seems weak compared with the Mercedes system which can actually steer the car. The BMW system is more lane departure prevention which is not new and unfortunately let's the car drift very close to the line rather than actively steering it in the center of the lane.
- Weight savings are also small. @scott26 said 200kilos. This article is saying 136 kilos. I think Scott has been bullshitting us for a while with hype. 136 kilo weight reduction seems incremental. I was expecting CFRP to change the game.
Will stay tuned though. Not ruling out buying one but at this point I can't say I won't get a Benz instead.
|
Driver Assistance is more advanced than the SClass has in production form. Yes the S can and will follow suit and possibly jump ahead for a brief period of time. Short of complete long distance autonomy, which both are capable of, there won't really be more than slight differences in their respective response characteristics.
*Edit to directly respond about the 7 drifting close to the line vs staying within its lane*. That video is demonstrating how at speed the 7's Lane Departure Assistant (not to be confused with the Lane Keeping Assistant) reacts. Two weeks ago I had an S65 to drive for a few days and my normal route home includes a single lane exit from the interstate that begins with a short double s curve entrance leading to a 1/4 straight away. It's more comfortable to cut the left and right shoulders if no obstacles are present but in the Mercedes, a second or two after cutting the left shoulder, the car snapped to the right on its own, crossed the right shoulder line immediately after that. This then was met with a snap back to the left and approx 1/8 mile later I was now in the middle of the lane. The 7, with the system on, would simply have anticipated crossing the lane marking and gently followed the line without allowing the car to cross it. If I had made a corrective steering input prior to arriving at the marking, the car would change momentarily to prevent excessive driver input and a snap oversteer situation. At lower speeds the Lane keeping assistant will follow the left and right markings to keep the car tracking it's lane without input from the driver.
For all of those complaining about the "disappointing" reduction in weight, I can only suggest this as one of my professional involvements is weight saving componentry. Numbers are numbers and will vary for many different reasons. I wouldn't focus on the number itself, but where this weight savings is focused. 200kg from the center point of weight distribution on the axis would do far less than critical small reductions in the most effective locations. This is why the F01/2/3/4/7 are actually not bad in respect to the competition. The F06/10/11/12/13 etc are the piggies since they share all of the largest and heaviest structures with the current 7 and where they differ does not create any significant weight reduction effect.