Press Release: Mobility is the hallmark of a modern society and economic prosperity. For the futurity viability of unrestricted mobility, the traffic system must be equal to the loftier demands placed on it. Every traveller must be able to brand each journey in the safest, nearly efficient and virtually comfortable way possible.

In gild to achieve this objective, 28 partners from the automotive industry – ranging from electronics, telecommunications and software companies to enquiry institutes and highways and send authorities – joined forces in the German inquiry initiative known as Aktiv. At the closing session in Mendig today, the results of the research project were presented.

Aktiv stands for "Adaptive und Kooperative Technologien für den Intelligenten Verkehr" (Adaptive and Cooperative Technologies for Intelligent Traffic).

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With the aim of making traffic of the future safer and smoother-flowing, the partners involved came up with xv subprojects to develop new commuter assistance systems as well as solutions for efficient traffic management and advisable Car2x communications. With the Active Safety project, the experts from BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH have made an of import contribution to improving route traffic safety. In add-on, specialists from the BMW Group brought to the Traffic Direction project their insights about smooth traffic catamenia and developed innovative navigation functions. Also, in dialogue with industry specialists, they established the ground for acceptance and implementation of the road traffic technologies and applications.

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Innovative driver assistance systems for active safety.

The best protection confronting accidents which a car designer can give the driver on the road is the agile safety of his vehicle. "From official statistics and from our own analyses of accident databases in the projection, we know that many accidents are attributable to a driver reacting inadequately, too late or not at all," says Dr Peter Zahn, Project Manager with BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH in the Aktiv inquiry initiative. "Every tenth of a 2nd's reaction fourth dimension gained makes a crucial contribution to accident avoidance if a vehicle thinks for itself with lightning speed in critical situations and can itself react during a momentary lapse of attention on the part of the driver," Zahn elaborates. The fundamental claiming, therefore, is to intervene as presently as an unexpected accident threatens in order to safeguard the driver, without at the aforementioned time "nannying" him in his circumspect, independent acquit at the wheel.

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That is why, in the Active Rubber project, the specialists from BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH accept developed an assistance organisation called Active Take chances Braking. This function goes beyond limiting the consequences of a collision, which existing emergency braking systems are chiefly designed to do; its aim is, as far as possible, to eliminate nose-to-tail impacts altogether. To achieve this, light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation scanners on the vehicle monitor the route situation ahead and to the side, while radar sensors provide surveillance of the area to the rear. In addition, the driver's behaviour in a particular state of affairs is evaluated. "If the sensors recognise the threat of a standoff, the driver is appropriately alerted to the situation and, if necessary, the brakes are applied fully to avoid an accident," explains Philipp Reinisch of BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH, whose dissertation deals with Active Hazard Braking.

Another important bailiwick for the BMW Group's enquiry subsidiary is Car2x communications, the name given to the exchange of data betwixt one vehicle and some other or between a vehicle and the traffic infrastructure. The focus here extends beyond cars, and within the framework of BMW Motorrad's ConnectedRide strategy also brings motorcycles into the communication network. The data from other road users captured via the Car2x communication system provides a footing for a driver assist system adult in the Intersection Assistance subproject. "If this aid system discovers that the motorist giving fashion is probably misjudging his arroyo, the system warns him of a potential collision through a visual and audible signal. During the response fourth dimension, the system as well activates approximately 30% of the maximum braking force for one second – a palpable indication to the driver to apply the brakes himself. In parallel with this, a motorcycle with right of way deliberately attracts attending to itself: full axle headlights, additional LED side warning lights and the adventure lights are activated to broaden its silhouette. In the example of astute danger of collision the motorcycle's horn as well sounds. Its treatment is non affected by this." This brilliant description is provided by Dr Felix Klanner, who developed the "Intersection Aid" system at BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH.

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Other subprojects within the Active Prophylactic project were the development of Integrated Lateral Aid, Pedestrian and Cyclist Safe and the crossover projection Driver Awareness and Prophylactic.

Intelligent traffic direction for free-flowing traffic.

Under the label Adaptive Navigation, the BMW Grouping demonstrates a evolution aimed at bringing together different sources of information. Today, the market place already has various providers of traffic information who are opening up ever-new sources of traffic data. Examples of these are loop data, Floating Car Data, Extended Floating Car Data, mobile phone information and celebrated traffic load curves. "Nonetheless, we are only at the start of this journey and the future volition bring united states a wealth of new information sources. In detail, aggregators like Google and the virtual communities of Facebook, Twitter or MySpace will exploit their strengths to alluvion the market with information offers, some of them costless of charge. Simply in all of this, one matter will tend to be generally overlooked: the client's want for reliable, high-grade information," explains BMW'south Dr Irina Matschke. "The claiming lies in creating a unique body of high-form information from diverse information sources, each with a pocket-size but known value," Matschke goes on to say. Hence, in the Aktiv project, the BMW Group has developed a fusion logic which combines the various data sources and allows them to be used past the customer through routing. In this way, as soon equally the customer starts his journey, he is presented with a precise movie of what he can expect while driving and when he volition reach his destination under typical weather condition, simply also in the best or to the lowest degree favourable circumstances.

Cooperative Cars provides a mobile phone-based exchange of traffic information.

In the Cooperative Cars project, specialists take been investigating the extent to which mobile telephone technologies such as UMTS are suitable for the targeted real-time exchange of data between traffic management and commuter assistance systems. BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is researching the performance of these mobile phone technologies in a exam vehicle as well every bit in simulation, and assessing how far they can exist used in cooperative assistance functions such equally Intersection Aid.

The following companies and organisations played an agile function in the Aktivenquiryinitiative: Allianz, Audi, BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH, BMW Group, Bosch, Germany'due south Federal Highway Inquiry Plant, Continental, DaimlerChrysler, DDG, Ericsson Eurolab R&D Germany, Ford, the Hessen State Traffic Centre, HTW Saarland, IBEO, IFAK Magdeburg, MAN Commercial Vehicles, Opel, PTV, Siemens, Munich Technical University, Teleatlas, Transver, Hanover University, Kassel University, Vodafone Grouping R&D Frg and Volkswagen. In addition, numerous university and other research institutes, as well every bit pocket-sized and medium-sized companies, collaborated on the project equally subcontractors.

[Source: BMW ]