BMW is taking on Tesla’s FSD with urban driver assist starting in 2027

BMW plans to introduce its urban driver assist system to German roads in 2027, with further expansion to other markets. This Level 2 system, built into models like the 3 Series, 7 Series, X5, iX3, and iX4, uses GPS navigation to guide, accelerate, and decelerate vehicles on highways and city streets. It can manage lane changes, turns, yielding, and roundabouts, but drivers must stay vigilant and ready to take control at any moment.

On highways, drivers can remove their hands from the wheel, but on city streets, they must keep their hands on the wheel. BMW's new Neue Klasse platform, partly powered by Qualcomm's technology, is the basis for this feature. Unlike fully autonomous systems, this urban driver assist cooperates with drivers, allowing them to control the car at any moment.

The system uses cameras and sensors already present in BMW models, and can be updated over the air. It complies with new European safety regulations that permit automated driving moves on city streets for the first time. Preparations for this system have already been tested by external experts, who confirmed compliance with technical standards, with final government approval anticipated in early 2027.

This move signals the industry's push to match Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. Both BMW and Tesla stress that drivers are responsible for the vehicle even when using these partially autonomous systems. However, safety researchers warn that drivers may develop an overreliance on these systems, leading to slower reaction times when taking control of the vehicle, potentially increasing crash risks.