Highway Assist Eye Tracking Question

[stormchaser]

I currently have Driver Assist Professional, not Highway Assist, on another BMW. I like it even though you need to touch the wheel every 10-15 seconds. I mainly drive rural highways (Low traffic open highway) and was wondering how annoying the eye cameras are with Highway Assist? If you look away for 5-10 seconds, will it simply prompt you to "Stay alert" and keep doing that and require you to touch the wheel, or will it actually turn off the system? Could you still drive in Highway Assist with these repeated warnings, and if so, how long? Some manufacturers, according to the UK magazines, have come up with over-sensitive eye tracking (Looking left or right for 2 seconds, or even checking a side mirror), which can be very annoying. Finally, can you use a 7 series with highway assist in the old Pro only level, where you simply need to keep touching the wheel, or will it always track eyes?

[F5506m]

It is not a very long time, but also not short i.e. checking the mirrors. Every time mine has given me a waring it is because either I will looking for something on the idrive screen or distracted. It is enough time to keep you attentive.

[Wolfman64]

The camera-based system will complain wether it’s just drive assist or drive assist plus.

Mirrors are not considered a distraction as it uses the that eye movement to change lanes.

Looking at the center screen even for changing temps is considered a distraction.

I found the system to be disengaging much quicker on curvy roads while providing more warnings on straight lanes.

[DroMike]

Yes, it very much IS annoying and will engage or provide warnings in a matter of SECONDS (certainly not as much as 10).

In response to your second question -- what happens if it occurs to many times? -- yes it WILL turn off. I'm not sure how many times it takes (I THINK if warned 3-5 times in a short window of a few minutes), but irrespective of that, rest assured, it WILL disengage your hands-free system. Again, I don't know how long for that either, but I'm certain it will take a small amount of time to allow you to re-engage. Needless to say, that info IS in your OM so check there for the actual specifics which I've seen (but the details of which I don't recall precisely).

[stormchaser]

Thanks, everyone. I am not surprised by the sensitivity. I will restate the question regarding "Warning" or whatever it says, "Stay attentive". Eye tracking is okay by me, but if it consistently warns and shuts off in a few seconds, that would be much worse than it basically saying, "Let me know you are still paying attention and squeeze the wheel or look dead straight". If it warns a lot but still works, I am fine with that. Kinda like the 15 seconds you have on the pro package to squeeze the steering wheel. Then again, if it warns 2-3 times on separate occasions and shuts off like Tesla, that would annoy me (Tesla needs you to restart the car). While semi-autonomous driving (Level 2 Plus) has come a long way, it still astounds me that everyone is afraid to release Level 3 driving. On rural straight empty highways (4 lane), I should be able to find a system that allows me to check my phone occasionally without a sophisticated system yelling at me. I personally think AI-generated semi-autonomous driving is likely safer than an actual person. How annoying is this BMW Highway Assist? Will it eventually stop providing warnings, or is the sensitivity still pretty significant? If it is alerting when changing the center screen, that should tell BMW to bring back knobs.

[stormchaser]

Originally Posted by Wolfman64

The camera-based system will complain wether it’s just drive assist or drive assist plus.

Mirrors are not considered a distraction as it uses the that eye movement to change lanes.

Looking at the center screen even for changing temps is considered a distraction.

I found the system to be disengaging much quicker on curvy roads while providing more warnings on straight lanes.

How long will it say "Stay attntive" before sudden braking or emergency action?

[DroMike]

In a nutshell:

1. The driver monitoring camera (above the steering column) watches your eyes, face, and head position.

2. If the system determines you’re distracted or asleep, it will relay normal warnings to place your hands back on the wheel.

3. If you do not respond to the warnings in #2, it escalates alerts to include: visual, audible, then haptic (seatbelt tugs or steering wheel vibrations).

4. If you do not respond to the alerts in #3, it will then give a final warning — "Take over vehicle" (red message).

5. Should you not respond to the "Take over vehicle" message in 5 seconds, the Emergency Stop Assistant ("ESA") activates by:
a. Braking the car smoothly to a stop in its lane (it does not steer to the shoulder).
b. turning the hazard lights turn on.
c. Keeping the car centered in the lane so it doesn’t drift.

6. After ESA stops your car, the
a. doors may unlock automatically(for emergency access);
b. system can call emergency services automatically via BMW’s Intelligent Emergency Call (SOS) system — especially if it detects no driver response.
c. car will remain stationary and keep hazard lights flashing until the driver resumes control or assistance arrives.

Of course the problem THEN turns into hoping another vehicle still traveling at 70MPH behind you won't pile into you!! YIKES!

[Wolfman64]

Originally Posted by DroMike

In a nutshell:

1. The driver monitoring camera (above the steering column) watches your eyes, face, and head position.

2. If the system determines you’re distracted or asleep, it will relay normal warnings to place your hands back on the wheel.

3. If you do not respond to the warnings in #2, it escalates alerts to include: visual, audible, then haptic (seatbelt tugs or steering wheel vibrations).

4. If you do not respond to the alerts in #3, it will then give a final warning — "Take over vehicle" (red message).

5. Should you not respond to the "Take over vehicle" message in 5 seconds, the Emergency Stop Assistant ("ESA") activates by:
a. Braking the car smoothly to a stop in its lane (it does not steer to the shoulder).
b. turning the hazard lights turn on.
c. Keeping the car centered in the lane so it doesn’t drift.

6. After ESA stops your car, the
a. doors may unlock automatically(for emergency access);
b. system can call emergency services automatically via BMW’s Intelligent Emergency Call (SOS) system — especially if it detects no driver response.
c. car will remain stationary and keep hazard lights flashing until the driver resumes control or assistance arrives.

Of course the problem THEN turns into hoping another vehicle still traveling at 70MPH behind you won't pile into you!! YIKES!

Have never tried this out but if there is an extreme situation where the car comes to a complete stop it will have moved safely to the shoulder.

We have used the system (Drive Assist Plus) in Germany in active traffic for about 500 miles and it has worked flawlessly.

Likewise this system isn’t just a passive cruise control.
Since the left lane is for passing in Germany the system will encourage to change lanes all the time and wants you to pass cars instead of just keeping the distance behind another car.

I really like it; good for distance driving.

[stormchaser]

Originally Posted by DroMike

In a nutshell:

1. The driver monitoring camera (above the steering column) watches your eyes, face, and head position.

2. If the system determines you’re distracted or asleep, it will relay normal warnings to place your hands back on the wheel.

3. If you do not respond to the warnings in #2, it escalates alerts to include: visual, audible, then haptic (seatbelt tugs or steering wheel vibrations).

4. If you do not respond to the alerts in #3, it will then give a final warning — "Take over vehicle" (red message).

5. Should you not respond to the "Take over vehicle" message in 5 seconds, the Emergency Stop Assistant ("ESA") activates by:
a. Braking the car smoothly to a stop in its lane (it does not steer to the shoulder).
b. turning the hazard lights turn on.
c. Keeping the car centered in the lane so it doesn’t drift.

6. After ESA stops your car, the
a. doors may unlock automatically(for emergency access);
b. system can call emergency services automatically via BMW’s Intelligent Emergency Call (SOS) system — especially if it detects no driver response.
c. The car will remain stationary and keep hazard lights flashing until the driver resumes control or assistance arrives.

Of course, the problem THEN turns into hoping another vehicle still traveling at 70MPH behind you won't pile into you!! YIKES!

That is an amazing description. So the different steps I assume take a total of around 15-30 seconds (1st warning with no hands, 2nd warning with seatbelt or steering wheel vibration, and 3rd brake assist)? I did not know BMW had seatbelt tugs, as Cadillac was the only one that I knew that did this with Super Cruise. Have you actually tested these 3 steps? I agree that the lane centering with BMW works very well.

[DroMike]

Originally Posted by stormchaser

Have you actually tested these 3 steps?

I haven't no. I'd think testing this by stopping in an active expressway lane would be an extremely unwise idea on several fronts. However, if the expressway were unused or virtually empty, I might consider doing it -- but I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and such a thing doesn't exist here!

Alternative, uh... why don't you go for it and report back? [Waiver of Liability form attached.]

[stormchaser]

I drive Wyoming Freeways that are empty.

[DroMike]

Great! Looking forward to your report then!