BMW to Make Extended Active Safety Standard, Debuting on iX3
BMW announced that its next-generation models will come standard with an extended active safety system, with the iX3 as the first production model to feature it, followed by the i3, X5, and 7 Series. The system upgrades door-opening warnings to active prevention, introduces emergency steering intervention, adds side braking and cross-traffic alerts, and includes a start-monitoring function to prevent accelerator misuse. In Berlin, 392 door-opening accidents in 2024 accounted for nearly 8% of all cyclist accidents.
BMW's next-generation models will come standard with an extended active safety system, with the iX3 as the first production model to feature it, followed by the i3, X5, and 7 Series. The door-opening warning function has been upgraded from a reminder to active prevention: side radar scans the area around the parked vehicle, and if a cyclist or vehicle is detected approaching, the electronic door lock delays release until the danger has passed. Previously, the system only alerted the driver to approaching traffic or cyclists via lights and sound. According to records from the German Insurance Association, Berlin recorded 392 door-opening accidents in 2024, accounting for nearly 8% of all cyclist accidents in the city.
The emergency steering intervention function is introduced for the first time. It can automatically steer within the lane to avoid obstacles, such as pedestrians suddenly emerging from between parked vehicles or cyclists not visible in low-light conditions. When a vehicle is approaching from the side, the system will also nudge the vehicle to the other side if safe space allows. Active parking distance control now includes side braking, which previously only covered the rear. A new cross-traffic function uses rear-side radar to detect approaching cyclists or vehicles when reversing out of a parking spot with obstructed visibility.
The start-monitoring function addresses accelerator misuse: when the vehicle speed is below 2 km/h and an obstacle is detected within 1 meter of the front or rear, and the driver suddenly presses the accelerator hard, the system will bring the vehicle to a stop regardless of the current gear direction. BMW collectively refers to these functions as "symbiotic driving." The system reads driver intent through steering wheel input, eye direction, turn signals, or shoulder-turning movements, ensuring it does not intervene frequently when the driver is operating the vehicle deliberately.