Prior to the Autonomous Driving 2014 – The Future of ADAS, we.CONECT spoke with Michael Heimrath, Manager Projects Connected Drive at BMW Research and Technology.

1. Interview
BMW Research and Technology
Michael Heimrath
Manager Projects Connected Drive
BMW Research and Technology / Germany
Prior to the Autonomous Driving 2014 – The Future of ADAS, we.CONECT spoke with Michael
Heimrath, Manager Projects Connected Drive at BMW Research and Technology.
we.CONECT:
What is your company’s relation to
the
automotive
evolution
of
autonomous driving / ADAS?
Michael Heimrath:
Highly
automated
driving
is
a
fundamental element of our development
strategy BMW ConnectedDrive. With the
vision of highly automated driving we
already gain technology and methods
competence that allows us to offer a
suite of most modern driver assistance
systems. Partially automated driving
functions are already an important part
on the way to highly automated driving.
BMW ActiveAssist, as part of BMW
ConnectedDrive,
pools
all
the
technological developments in this area.
we.CONECT:
According to your experience, how is
the automotive industry affected by
recent
autonomous
driving
technologies and advances in drivers
assistance systems?
Michael Heimrath:
BMW fundamentally welcomes all
activities concerning highly automated
driving, because this technology will only
gain widespread acceptance if it is rolled
out across a broad basis. When it comes
to highly automated driving, our clear
focus is initially on motorways, because
this is where we see the greatest benefit
for customers – our aim also being to
effectively relieve the strain on the driver
in long, monotonous and tiring driving
situations, e.g. traffic jams. As a premium
carmaker a design compatible integration
of the system is required.
we.CONECT:
In which way is your company
engaged
with
the
innovations
happening in the automotive industry
around connectivity, automation and
new systems?
Michael Heimrath:
As innovation leader in the premium
segment the BMW Group has used its
ConnectedDrive banner since 2001 to
group together unique and innovative
functions which link the driver, vehicle
and outside world intelligently with one
another. These functions enhance
comfort, allow customers to experience a
new dimension in infotainment and
significantly improve the safety of BMW
Group vehicles. To this end, BMW
ActiveAssist – the package of partially
and highly automated driving technology
developed by BMW – will make a
significant contribution to bringing the
vision of accident-free mobility another
step closer to reality. To further exploit
the additional value of future highly
automated driving functions a backend
system will be an important concept
element.
availability of the sensors, e. g. laser
scanner, in large quantities as well as
their costs is today a big challenge.
Furthermore the generation of a highprecision digital map is still very complex.
we.CONECT:
With a professional view from the
outside: What do you think are the
main challenges the auto industry is
facing right now with respect to
autonomous driving?
To make a next consequent step towards
the realization of highly automated
driving functions in 2020 and thereafter
the technical components, systems and
architectures have to be developed and
validated.
Michael Heimrath:
At present there is still no legal
framework such as regulatory law, road
traffic regulations, product liability in
place to allow highly automated vehicles
to be used in everyday road traffic. It is
still very unclear who would be held
liable in the event of a collision involving
a fully automated vehicle. Would it be the
driver – or would it perhaps be the
system provider? That legal framework
still needs to be drawn up. This is an
important hurdle on the road to highly
automated driving.
In order to shape with authorities and
politics the required framework for the
rollout of highly automated driving
functions field tests and impact studies
are necessary, because society and the
customers also have to be prepared for
such a quantum transition. Therefore the
next major goal for the BMW Group is
the testing of highly automated driving
functions on European motorways.
Basically the technical realization is, like
you see it in our highly automated driving
BMW 5 series research prototype,
already today possible but with
disproportional
high
effort.
The
we.CONECT:
Please explain in brief the issues of
the presentation you will be holding at
the Autonomous Driving 2014 – The
Future of ADAS:
Michael Heimrath:
For the BMW Group highly automated
driving is an essential milestone of the
development strategy ConnectedDrive.
Highly automated driving functions will
contribute significantly to come one step
closer to accident-free mobility. At the
same time an important comfort gain as
well as an increased efficiency will be
expected.
we.CONECT:
What expectations do you have
regarding the Autonomous Driving
2014 – The Future of ADAS? Which
outcome and benefits do you expect
from the exchange with participating
companies?

2. Michael Heimrath:
The knowledge exchange with the
participants matching with my own ideas
will form my benefits, which I will take
back to my company. Further I do expect
to public more of the BMW activities
concerning highly automated driving.
we.CONECT:
Which question would you like to be
asked regarding the topic? Is there a
burning issue you can tell us about?
Michael Heimrath:
I would like to be asked “When do you
think is a first highly automated driving
BMW on the motorway?”
we.CONECT:
Thanks a lot for this interview! We are
looking forward to a thriving event!
Interview Partner: Serina Gummert and
Michael Heimrath.
Michael Heimrath has been working for the
BMW Group since 1984. As a manager he is
now responsible for the projects of connected
driving. He started working in the field of
mechatronics testing 30 years ago, challenged
himself during his position as a manager for
night design headlight testing and display
systems night design, where he has also been
the head of for several years afterwards
regarding the cockpit integration. Job titles like
function responsible, quality interieur and
specialist were part of his carrier at BMW.
Autonomous Driving – The Future of ADAS
is a global automotive conference that
discusses current challenges, brand new
approaches and future trends in the area of
autonomous driving.
Information about the event and about
we.CONECT can be found at:
http://autonomous-driving.we-conect.com
Contact:
Dr. Klaudia Malowitz
Senior Product Manager
Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 48
Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 30
Email: klaudia.malowitz@we.conect.com
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