Prototype BMW 7 Series G11/G12 crashes into Police responding to a call...

[Dethsupp0rt]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

The way it plowed the Polizei van out of the way, the next 7 must still weigh a ton.

Over two, in fact.

[DS_BMW]

Hurry up man get that thing covered!!!

[Diver]

Extremely strange, to say the least.

[crawfordbay]

Originally Posted by c63er

This does bring up an important question about autonomous driving aids. How do they account for emergency vehicles ?

Say the 7 was driving through a solid green and making a turn but the police van needs to cross a red light with sirens on, how does the car know to stop in time and in a safe way ?

It seems it would only work if the police car also has car to x communications on board to tell the autonomous car to stop.

Seems rife with problems. Too many points of failure. Too many avenues for hackers to commandeer a persons car.

Let's keep autonomous cars away just a bit longer

Yes yes yes and yes!!!!

[raysspl]

Anyone got guesses as to what the new 7 will weigh around?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by aajami

If the Bimmer was under green and the police truck was stopped on a red, then how'd they collide? Someone ran a light and isn't being forthcoming.

Originally Posted by pr0gi

well if police van was with lights and sirens on I can see only one person who can be blamed

Problem is... there is some conflicting reports on what happened. Polizei says they came to a complete stop(on their red light) and continued thru the red light. BMW werks driver says the polizei did NOT stop nor have their lights and sirens on, and he had a green light. Since the BMW driver was testing some sort of navigation aid... maybe the car's cameras were recording the data. ? Time will tell. BMW has invited the Polizei to come take a look at the test car's data. The Polizei station is located just down the street from the accident scene - not sure if that would make a difference to the polizei driver being too familiar with his surroundings.

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

The way it plowed the Polizei van out of the way, the next 7 must still weigh a ton.

Carbon Fibre although extremely light is also exceptionally strong.
Although the new 7er utilises CFRP as a first for the segment it combines its use in the heaviest section of the car with additional materials such as hard pressed steel , aluminium, thermoplastic and magnesium.

The new 7er will be the first core BMW model to feature many features including the vehicle wiring that can be used by more efficient materials and more advanced 48v systems to save weight which will also be inherited by the 5er and so on.

Watch this video on materials substitution to see how BMW are optimising lighter materials and cutting excess weight from every aspect of their cars.
One of the many forms Efficient Dynamics takes and the standard of the industry.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by e90-328i

What's a BMW doing in Merc territory in the middle of night. Was he taking car for a late night viewing for MB and trying to get back to Munich before anyone notices??-lol

The BMW driver works for a company based in the Stuttgart area. This company is making the driver's navigation aids for BMW. So the car lives in the Stuttgart area.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Carbon Fibre although extremely light is also exceptionally strong.
Although the new 7er utilises CFRP as a first for the segment it combines its use in the heaviest section of the car with additional materials such as hard pressed steel , aluminium, thermoplastic and magnesium.

The new 7er will be the first core BMW model to feature many features including the vehicle wiring that can be used by more efficient materials and more advanced 48v systems to save weight which will also be inherited by the 5er and so on.

Watch this video on materials substitution to see how BMW are optimising lighter materials and cutting excess weight from every aspect of their cars.
One of the many forms Efficient Dynamics takes and the standard of the industry.

To "plow" another vehicle out of the way has more to do with vehicle mass than it does with structure strength...

[JNoSol]

I guess the accident avoidance feature of the new 7 failed in real world testing.

[E90Fleet]

From one of the other threads on this crash

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

To "plow" another vehicle out of the way has more to do with vehicle mass than it does with structure strength...

Speed has something to do with it too.

[MikeTerp]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

The way it plowed the Polizei van out of the way, the next 7 must still weigh a ton.

Probably weighs more than TWO tons! LOL

[webbit]

Originally Posted by c63er

This does bring up an important question about autonomous driving aids. How do they account for emergency vehicles ?

Say the 7 was driving through a solid green and making a turn but the police van needs to cross a red light with sirens on, how does the car know to stop in time and in a safe way ?

It seems it would only work if the police car also has car to x communications on board to tell the autonomous car to stop.

Seems rife with problems. Too many points of failure. Too many avenues for hackers to commandeer a persons car.

Let's keep autonomous cars away just a bit longer

I hate the thought of autonomous vehicles. I might as well catch a train.
autonomous vehicles will spell the end to many industries and businesses.

I really have a problem with the meaning of autonomous..........
"having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs" and
"having the freedom to act independently"

Just my two cents worth.........I will be very interested to follow this story to see if a BMW autonomous system was responsible for the accident

[akalj]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The BMW driver works for a company based in the Stuttgart area. This company is making the driver's navigation aids for BMW. So the car lives in the Stuttgart area.

Interesting. Last week I was also in Stuttgart and saw what appear to be a 2 series in camouflage (M2?). I did not have time to snap a picture and it would not have come out clear anyway from the 2 floor of the hotel. But it was early in the morning and the car was passing by downtown in front of the Stuttgart Hbf. Now it makes sense from what you mention, since like others have said, Stuttgart is Porsche/Merc territory.

[Vigilant]

EMS and police personnel are supposed to obey the same traffic laws as a lay person driving. Unfortunately, at least in the U.S., "lights and sirens" is viewed as an opportunity to circumvent these rules.

No way to know for sure, but it appears the van was t-boned as it probably inched into the intersection through a red light while the 7 series driver responded to the green light and accelerated.

[clar]

Originally Posted by pr0gi

well if police van was with lights and sirens on I can see only one person who can be blamed

Yeah, the guy in charge of the autonomous driving software...

[Zeroblade]

The amount of damage that 7 series took is pretty nuts compared to the police van. It doesn't look armored or anything.

Also you know the oil cooler is hit :3

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by MikeTerp

Probably weighs more than TWO tons! LOL

I'm wrong once in a blue moon, that means when the moon is actually blue.

[bmellion]

Originally Posted by andrey_gta

Maybe now they will redesign the front... Straight to LCI

Haha! Funny as hell

[SpokenHands]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

To "plow" another vehicle out of the way has more to do with vehicle mass than it does with structure strength...

Too right. Let's not forget Scott26 is a web marketing executive (a committee actually).

Now that it's clear no one one was seriously injured, I am looking for a positive. The way I look at it, the accident has put probably some sharp creases into the design prototype. With some luck the final design will be less bland and soul less.

[DCG]

Originally Posted by MI6

Me thinks the BMW factory driver started Oktoberfest early!

No one mentioned anything about the Beemers squirrel-Q camouflage nighttime visibility factor.