Active Protection is the BMW ConnectedDrive preventive passenger protection system.
If a critical situation arises on the road, the front seat belts are reversibly pretensioned and the side windows are closed – as is the sunroof, if there is one. A critical situation could include emergency braking, or if the car demonstrates excessive understeer or oversteer.
When the vehicle is fitted with approach control warning or approach control warning with braking function, potential collisions with moving or stationary vehicles ahead can be recognised in advance (within the system’s limits).
In certain accident situations, the system can bring the vehicle to a standstill without any intervention from the driver. This helps to reduce the likelihood of a follow-up collision and to minimise the damage caused by one.
In addition, the Attentiveness Assistant monitors the driver’s behaviour for signs of fatigue. This system analyses the steering response and reacts to irregular driving behaviour by issuing a message in the Control Display suggesting the driver take a break.