[MonumentBMW]

I'm a newbie to this forum, not to BMW.

I purchased a 2024 BMW X7 40i a month ago and recently drove from Tucson to Colorado Springs - Interstate 10 to I-40 to I-25.

I had the car in Driving Assistance Plus nearly all the time on the Interstate. I read comments such as the following on this forum and I don't understand why my car doesn't do hands free. After a few seconds the lights on the wheel and console blink yellow followed by red before I have to place my hands on the wheel before the beeping starts.

"100 mile + drive on Florida Interstate 95 today 100% PERFECT! Zero need to touch the wheel in moderate traffic. I don't drive Interstates often so this was my 1st chance to test after the last revision. As previously posted, the auto lane change feature is somewhat abrupt, but quick execution may be a plus before conditions change. I am impressed!"

Is there a setting I'm not aware of that allows me to drive hands free similar to how I drove my partner's Tesla?

[TurtleBoy]

Assisted Driving Plus is hands-free, I think you meant you were in Assisted Driving since that requires the wheel to be touched every so often.

As far as Assisted Driving Plus goes, there is a setting to enable it so make sure you have it enabled. Also make sure the camera can see your eyes.

[MonumentBMW]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

Assisted Driving Plus is hands-free, I think you meant you were in Assisted Driving since that requires the wheel to be touched every so often.

As far as Assisted Driving Plus goes, there is a setting to enable it so make sure you have it enabled. Also make sure the camera can see your eyes.

Thank you for time in assisting me TurtleBoy. I actually have the assisted driving plus turned on (please see pic). Perhaps I'm turning it on incorrectly via the steering wheel, although the car confirms it's in Assisted Driving Plus.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by MonumentBMW

Thank you for time in assisting me TurtleBoy. I actually have the assisted driving plus turned on (please see pic). Perhaps I'm turning it on incorrectly via the steering wheel, although the car confirms it's in Assisted Driving Plus.

What do you mean by "not turning it on correctly"? Is it offering it to you? What do you do when it is offered? What version of iDrive do you have? I think starting with 07/2023 it no longer offers it but rather automatically goes into the Assisted Driving Plus from Assisted Driving when conditions are met and your hands are off the wheel. I'm sure someone with experience with it can chime in, I'm only going by what I read since I have iD7.

[TechCTU]

I had this issue when I first picked my car up as well. It was setup in the menu properly as TurtleBoy showed but it was not working.

The quickest way i could find to see if it was functioning correctly was to verify if it was communicating with all systems.

First go to main home screen (nav screen on OS 8.5) and tap the screen somewhere on the map.

Next tap on suggestions, you should see assist availability on the menu. Tap that and you should see highways that it works on near you.

If assist it is not there then we can help with next steps. I did not have assist and had to take other steps to get it to work.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6HuO-pjTxSQ

[MonumentBMW]

Big thanks to everyone that offered suggestions. For reasons unbeknownst to me, the assisted driving plus began working today after this morning's update. Woo-hoo!

[streborx]

There are a few of us who can't comprehend the fascination and obsession of sitting in the driver's seat and wanting to be a passenger. Why not just hand the keyfob to junior, and crawl into the back seat for a nap? It's disturbing that so many drivers are unaware of the limitations of driver assist systems, but are willing to entrust their safety and welfare to adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, collision avoidance and some marginally maintained highway line striping. And the excitement when assisted driving suddenly began working today when it was problematic yesterday? Don't expect it will work out so well when two of you are cruising toward each other at 70 mph relying on some sensors and software to avoid disaster.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by streborx

There are a few of us who can't comprehend the fascination and obsession of sitting in the driver's seat and wanting to be a passenger. Why not just hand the keyfob to junior, and crawl into the back seat for a nap? It's disturbing that so many drivers are unaware of the limitations of driver assist systems, but are willing to entrust their safety and welfare to adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, collision avoidance and some marginally maintained highway line striping. And the excitement when assisted driving suddenly began working today when it was problematic yesterday? Don't expect it will work out so well when two of you are cruising toward each other at 70 mph relying on some sensors and software to avoid disaster.

It is likely just your misunderstanding of how the systems work, what they are intended to do, etc. They are driver assistance and not driver replacement. They provide for a much safer, less stressful, more relaxing driving experience. They do not replace the driver or the driver's attention to what is going on.

[streborx]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

It is likely just your misunderstanding of how the systems work, what they are intended to do, etc. They are driver assistance and not driver replacement. They provide for a much safer, less stressful, more relaxing driving experience. They do not replace the driver or the driver's attention to what is going on.

Yes - I understand this perfectly, but others seem to consider them human equivalents -- I do not. Driving inside the beltway on an expressway in any major city is an experience that I don't believe any collection of driver assistance technologies can ever morph into a safer, less stressful and more relaxing experience. Unfortunately, driving in these venues forces one to become part of the chaos, rather than remaining a traffic law compliant driver.

I'm not entirely a luddite. Some of the assist features I do appreciate, such as the adaptive cruise control, steering assist and blind spot monitoring. I just don't plan to be sitting on my hands, ever.

[skrontz]

Originally Posted by streborx

Don't expect it will work out so well when two of you are cruising toward each other at 70 mph relying on some sensors and software to avoid disaster.

I would actually trust these systems to make decisions a lot quicker and more consistently than most human drivers in the same situation.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by streborx

Driving inside the beltway on an expressway in any major city is an experience that I don't believe any collection of driver assistance technologies can ever morph into a safer, less stressful and more relaxing experience. .

Obviously whether or not it provides that benefit depends on one's perspective, comfort level, expectations, etc. As one who has used it many times in those conditions I can definitely say the system provides it, other may not feel that way. That is why it is good to have the various driving assistance optional and one can choose to use, or not use, any one of them.

[rjabend]

I don't think anyone is suggesting using PLUS as a driver replacement but hands-free is very relaxing and effective in many scenarios. I would never trust it without my complete attention and my hands go on the wheel in close quarters . . . . . those big trucks scare me

[MystroX5]

I just came back from another 2500 family road trip from PA to Florida. I use the DAP a lot on these kinds of trips. I95 North through North and South Carolina were a mess of construction and the DAP did rather well with new new lines and temp roads. Stop and go traffic jams in Orlando it did good but still too many other vehicles splitting lanes or multiple lane changes for it to be fully trusted.
That said, I wonder if babysitting the system as I watch what it does takes more effort than just taking full control and driving the dang car??? I will never fully trust these systems but they do help on long mindless stretches of open Road. I use them more as a second set of eyes around the X7 more than anything. Fundamentally, I don’t even want a fully autonomous driving vehicle.

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

IFundamentally, I don’t even want a fully autonomous driving vehicle.

Keep in mind that PLUS may actually prevent mistakes that you make unless that never happens PLUS can work like a complementary driving partner if you pay full attention.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by rjabend

Keep in mind that PLUS may actually prevent mistakes that you make unless that never happens PLUS can work like a complementary driving partner if you pay full attention.

I rank it as a junior copilot. It has prevented me from a lane change with a potential vehicle in my way. It can be a bit conservative in its spacing when city driving can get chippy and it’s more “game on” aggressive driving time. It allows too much space in front of the X7 and others see that space as an opening and then the system brakes letting them in.

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

I rank it as a junior copilot. It has prevented me from a lane change with a potential vehicle in my way. It can be a bit conservative in its spacing when city driving can get chippy and it’s more “game on” aggressive driving time. It allows too much space in front of the X7 and others see that space as an opening and then the system brakes letting them in.

Same here. Mine has flagged vehicles in a lane change that I missed. It has also braked automatically when I missed a slowing vehicle.

On a separate scary note, we have trains on old-time crossings traveling at 80mph or more. It won't help with that!
Correction: I looked it up and on some sections they travel at 130 mph!!.