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

What happened

BMW says it will add city driving to its driver assist system. The system can steer, speed up, and slow down using GPS maps. In town, it can change lanes, make turns, give way to other cars, and drive through roundabouts. Drivers must still watch the road and be ready to take over at any time.

Key facts

• Launch year: 2027, starting in Germany. Other countries will follow later.
• On highways, drivers can take their hands off the wheel. On local roads, they must keep their hands on the wheel.
• Cars that already have the needed cameras and sensors include the 3 Series, 7 Series, X5, iX3, and iX4.
• Final government approval is expected in early 2027.

Why BMW is doing this

Many carmakers are racing to catch up with Tesla. Highway hands-free driving is now common in many mid-priced cars. The next big step is a safe city driving feature. BMW's new Neue Klasse platform uses driver assist technology partly made by Qualcomm. BMW says the system can be turned on with an over-the-air software update, which means a download sent to the car.

Why it matters

Safety researchers worry that drivers may trust these systems too much and react too slowly when they must take back control. Studies suggest most driver assist systems are less safe than normal human driving. BMW, like Tesla, says the driver is still responsible. But Tesla has faced court cases where some customers argued the company shared the blame for crashes. How this plays out could shape the rules for all car makers.

What to watch

• Whether German officials give final approval in early 2027.
• How safe the city feature proves to be once real drivers use it.
• When BMW brings the feature to other countries.
• How court cases about Tesla's FSD system may affect BMW and other carmakers.