Assisted driving notes ★★★★★

The ix’s mock radiator grille, or ‘intelligence panel’, is one of the places where its various sensors (12), cameras (five) and transceivers (12) are housed. The upshot? That, but for the software (which can, and most likely will, be updated over the air – for a fee), this car might already be ready for level-three, hands-off autonomous driving once it becomes legal.

As it is, the car’s front collision warning system is sophisticated enough to detect oncoming traffic when turning right across a live lane, as well as pedestrians and cyclists. Its lane control assist and active cruise control systems also have extended sensory functionality and greater operating reach than other BMWS’.

Our testers found the lane keeping, blindspot warning and cross traffic alert systems somewhat risk averse and overly intrusive when turned up to their most sensitive, but the forward crash avoidance and active cruise control systems both worked well.

AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING

 Does the system seem prone to false activation? ✗

 Can it be deactivated? ✓  Does it have pedestrian/cyclist detection? ✓

LANE KEEPING ASSISTANCE

 Is the system tuned to keep the driver engaged at all times? ✗

 Is it adjustable for sensitivity? ✓  Does it allow you to drive around a pothole/obstacle within your lane easily and without deactivation? ✓

INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL

 Can the system consistently recognise and automatically adopt motorway gantry-signed variable speed limits? ✓

 Does it prevent undertaking? ✗  Does it have effective audible or visual alerts, or steering intervention, to prevent changing lanes into the path of an overtaking car? ✓