Head-up display with Speed Limit Display
BMW has created a revolutionary Speed Limit Display system for its new 7 Series range. The carmaker will fit the technology - which it is claiming is a world first – as standard with the optional Lane Departure Warning system.
Using a camera mounted behind the rear view mirror, the device cross-references the GPS system and the real-world information to constantly monitor the legal speed limit. The limit is then relayed tto the driver in the dashboard or, if specified, into the head-up display.
The car’s hard drive has been pre-programmed with all of Europe’s speed limits but in case of road works or incidents it has another trick up its sleeve. It can also read temporary road signs and over-ride the stored information.
The new ‘7’ will also feature Night Vision that includes Pedestrian Recognition for the first time. Scanning the road up to 300 metres ahead, much further than even the most powerful xenon headlamps, Night Vision highlights the shape and proximity of any heat sources that are close to the predicted path of the car.
With Individual Pedestrian Recognition, the system uses video data and complex algorithms to predict if any pedestrians are behaving abnormally and are likely to move into the path of the car. The driver is alerted by warning symbols in the control display or the Head-up Display if specified. The new 7 Series went on sale in the UK on Saturday.
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