ACC Stop & Go and Driving Assistant

[SayHey]

I'm coming off a 2012 Volt lease (great car) and am considering an i3. This will primarily be my wife's car and she has some hip issues that make extending her right leg for long periods an issue. I'm intrigued by the ACC Stop & Go and Driving Assistant options and saw one YouTube video that suggested it works pretty well in stop and go traffic. The video was for a UK car and I heard a rumor this was disabled for stop and go traffic in the US because of liability concerns. Is that true? If not, what's been your practical experience with the Stop & Go capability of the ACC specifically and ACC performance in general? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Sparky]

ACC is fabulous for stop and go traffic. You must stay alert and be ready to intervene now and then.

 

[alohart]

I drive probably 95% of the time with ACC Stop&Go on. I rarely need to brake. I touch the accelerator only when starting from a stop or when approaching a stop light or sign when no car is in front of me. By pressing the accelerator down about half way, ACC can be turned off without causing sudden deceleration. Then one can control the deceleration with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, if regen is insufficient.

As Sparky mentioned, one must be alert because ACC can suddenly disconnect, usually because its camera is blinded by the sun. I've learned to anticipate when this could occur. It can also decelerate inappropriately when dark shadows on the road fool ACC into believing that an obstacle is ahead. It can also be fooled on winding roads with cars parked along the curb. Most of these situations can be anticipated with a little experience.

 

[Boatguy]

It works great. Now my biggest problem is getting into my second car and remembering I have to hit the brakes when the car in front of me slows down!

 

[SayHey]

Thanks everyone for your responses - they've been very helpful.

 

[jelloslug]

I used it this morning (and every morning), I love it. What was omitted on the North American cars was the Traffic Jam Assist. The difference between ACC Stop & Go and Traffic Jam Assist is steering. The Traffic Jam Assist does the Stop & Go part plus adds auto steering. One other thing just to know about the ACC system is that it is completely camera based. This means that if the camera is blocked by frost, rain, or other debris the system will turn off. It can also be disabled by setting sun and sun glinting off of chrome. Some people find that when the system disables at speed that it can be startling since the car has such heavy regen but once you understand how it works and what to expect out of the system it's not really an issue.

 

[scottlawrencelawson]

It is a great feature & works fine in the USA. I use it as often as possible. I made some demo Google Glass videos of it working on the 101 freeway just north of Los Angeles in the first light of day here => https://www.youtube.com/user/scottlawrencelawson/videos

 

[Hengus]

Thanks for the videos. I have been agonising over this option as well given concerns expressed on this and other forums. I am now convinced that there is value in having this package - as my agent said 'to assist not take over'. Having spent my working life in the air monitoring automatic flight management systems, I am well aware of the need to expect the unexpected!!

 

[jadnashuanh]

IT works, it's not an autonomous mode, but for what it does, it does it pretty well. It is a bit slower taking off from a stop than some might drive because it likes to develop a safety gap, but you can hurry it up without disengaging it if you wish. I'm sure it's more efficient on power usage the way it works, though.

 

[SSi3]

Curious, what exactly IS "Driving Assistant"? I know what ACC is, so what does the Driving Assistant add above and beyond ACC?

The bmwusa.com and bmw.ca sites don't seem to describe this feature well or at all.

 

[Hengus]

Curious, what exactly IS "Driving Assistant"? I know what ACC is, so what does the Driving Assistant add above and beyond ACC?

The bmwusa.com and bmw.ca sites don't seem to describe this feature well or at all.

This is the description on the UK BMWI3 site:

The optional Driving Assistant Plus includes a comprehensive range of innovative camera and radar systems that make driving the BMW i3 both safe and comfortable. The Traffic Jam Assist can control the speed and steering of your BMW i3 autonomously up to a speed of 24 mph in heavy traffic or traffic jams. Active Cruise Control maintains a constant speed and distance without driver input. The rear-end collision warning warns you of imminent rear-ended accidents and gives you time to react. Your BMW i3 can warn you of potential front-end collisions and detect pedestrians and using proactive braking this can significantly reduce the risk of collision at both low and high speed.

 

[i7fan]

Curious, what exactly IS "Driving Assistant"? I know what ACC is, so what does the Driving Assistant add above and beyond ACC?

The bmwusa.com and bmw.ca sites don't seem to describe this feature well or at all.

From the i3 brochure, Driving Assistant Plus includes:
Forward Collision Warning
City Collision Mitigation
Preventative Pedestrian Protection
Active Cruise Control
Traffic Jam Assist (aka Queue Assistant)

There was no mention of rear end collision warning in the brochures but if included would be a nice bonus for me since I added the package without knowing it was one of the features!

 

[jadnashuanh]

Keep in mind that the exact functionality may differ by market for legal or local preferences. IOW, what's available in one country is not necessarily available elsewhere. The only reliable way to discern what is being sold in your country is to read the local website of the importer, and if there's a question, specifically ask.