Blind Sport Monitoring - how is it?

[Wah]

Anybody have Blind Spot monitoring on their car that has an opinion about it?

[drkeng]

Originally Posted by Wah

Anybody have Blind Spot monitoring on their car that has an opinion about it?

you can believe it if it's on, but not if it's off

speed comes into play; if you're going fast it won't necessarily pick up a car in your blindspot as you pass it, at least that's how it is on wife's Jag XF

similarly if someone zooms into your blindspot it may take a second for the light to come on I'd guess

[m4recruiter]

It is just as it's called "assistance". It is not the answer nor does it replace your eyes. Mine has helped here and there and I like having it, but it is only a tool.

[Almaretto]

I have it on both my BMW's and love it.

It is a subtle visual warning to indicate whether something is or will be in blind spot.

Comparatively, I disable lane departure warning because I find it overly sensitive and the vibration annoying.

[WillC310]

Eh... it works, but I still got Euro mirrors because mirrors dont fail like technology.

[EALm4]

I have it and love it. I find that it's pretty accurate but still no replacement for situational awareness and looking. Plus you can turn all that stuff off if you want. The lane departure system is flat out annoying and that stays off for me. Get the package, you wont regret it.

[MN2///M]

Got it because I can't believe a car in this price range does not have it standard, but it is pretty much useless unless you are the least aggressive M car driver out there. I trust and rely on my mirrors. My blindspot warnings go off almost always when I'm changing lanes. They just allow too much of a safety zone for the traffic conditions I drive in.

If you were not aware of someone next to you, they will warn you. For me, I am constantly watching the cars on either side of me in heavy traffic and have my mirrors set so that if they are clear in my mirror, I know I can move over. When I lose the car next to me, I can see them in peripheral vision at that point.

The only value in my opinion in the DA package is the collision avoidance and only in sub 35 MPH conditions since it will brake for you if you are not paying attention for some reason.

[emfxur]

I have it on the X5, but as long as your side mirrors are adjusted properly it is unnecessary.

But it is nice option to have, if you're willing to spend extra!

[Professor///M]

Originally Posted by MN2///M

I trust and rely on my mirrors. My blindspot warnings go off almost always when I'm changing lanes. They just allow too much of a safety zone for the traffic conditions I drive in.

Lol so you're the guy that cuts us all off and gives us a bad name! jk



They are excellent on the left side of the vehicle, and just OK on the right side. The right side will only activate if someone is coming up on your right, or if you pass someone on their left slowly. I assume this is because one should know if they are passing a car, so having a blind spot detector when you know you're passing someone is moot point.


Left side I can say I have never had an inaccuracy, you just need to use extreme caution for people driving extremely fast. My only gripe on the system is that people do need to be modestly close for it to activate.

[MN2///M]

I find they work as well as any other system in any other car I have driven, I just think they all kind of suck for the driving conditions where I drive. People here either leave 1-3 car lengths at 40-50 MPH speeds or 20.

[MasterP]

Technology is a great substitute for driver awareness.

Have it on the X5 since it's forced with other options. I use my mirrors so I'm usually aware before the monitors are. In fog or weather where the sensors can get blocked they shut th off and alert you that you're on your own. Hope you're not the kind of person that's dependent on amber LED's to help you drive.

Don't have on the F80 since zero value to me since we learned to check blind spots the old fashioned way. Thankfully they packaged all the active driver assist features together in the same package for us to avoid.

[backagain]

Originally Posted by MasterP

Technology is a great substitute for driver awareness.

Have it on the X5 since it's forced with other options. I use my mirrors so I'm usually aware before the monitors are. In fog or weather where the sensors can get blocked they shut th off and alert you that you're on your own. Hope you're not the kind of person that's dependent on amber LED's to help you drive.

Don't have on the F80 since zero value to me since we learned to check blind spots the old fashioned way. Thankfully they packaged all the active driver assist features together in the same package for us to avoid.

BMW's blind spot detection is not vision-based. It uses radar, which is not really affected by weather, unless the fog is so dense that you can't see the indicators on the side mirrors.

[MasterP]

I'm not sure what causes it but heavy rain in DFW last Friday. System disabled itself and threw an error message. I barely drive it so it was a first for me.

[AIRHEIR]

I have it in my 15 and I have also driven a mazda 3 and a mazda 6 with it. I have no problem saying that the BMW system is crap in real world to those two cars systems. Totally unreliable. Im ordering another car and I will not be getting it this time.

[Invictus]

I was driving on the Autobahn with a German buddy of mine last summer and he was mortified that I was checking my "blind spot" at 270 kph (75 meters per second, 245 feet per second).

He told me it was a good way to go off the road or hit something in front of me.

"Shoulder checks are fine in the city. Use your mirrors on the Autobahn, man."

Lesson learned.

Stoooopid Canadian.

[backagain]

Originally Posted by Invictus

I was driving on the Autobahn with a German buddy of mine last summer and he was mortified that I was checking my "blind spot" at 270 kph (75 meters per second, 245 feet per second).

He told me it was a good way to go off the road or hit something in front of me.

"Shoulder checks are fine in the city. Use your mirrors on the Autobahn, man."

Lesson learned.

Stoooopid Canadian.

At that speed on Autobahn, there is no need to check blind spot. You are either passing other cars on their left, or you are being passed (momentarily) by an even faster car on your left. In either case, you should have full awareness of those vehicles through side and rear mirrors. Plus, it is Germany - so orderly.

[gurns]

I did not get the blind spot monitoring option mainly due to the influence of a driving instructor at the BMW school in Spartanburg, SC (he said "it was a waste of money"). If you have your mirrors set correctly you don't need it nor will you ever turn your head to check your blind spot.

For those of you who don't know how to set your side mirrors follow these simple steps.

Sitting up straight with your head and back against the head rest and seat, respectively (best position to take to effectively control your car) lean your body to the left toward the window and look into the mirror. In this position adjust the mirror until you begin to see the body of the car. When your return to your normal sitting position and look in the mirror you should not see any part of the car. Now, lean to the right and do the same for the right mirror.

With the mirrors properly adjusted you pick up traffic with your peripheral vision as it advances past your mirror coverage. This was just one of the very useful driving tips I learned at the school. I never have had an issue with cars in my "blind spot" again EXCEPT when I wasn't paying attention!

[shay2nak]

i don't really like it. The system in my 14 Mazda 3 is much better. I don't like the visual indicator on the stem versus the mirror itself and it is not bright. I don't like the steering wheel vibration versus a sound. The vibration could be mistaken for uneven pavement, etc. It's just a weird system. Also it seems the range is shorter than in my Mazda.

[ChuMpion3]

I like it. Does well of picking up cars approaching at speed. Mirrors are still the best, but this helps.

[MicaCeli]

The BMW system sux. Its like the only option we didnt get on the car. No Regerts.

[MasterP]

It's not trustworthy. So back to driving attentively.

[L8ydrgn]

What are the fine lines for on the back of the lower mirror? Just decoration or part of the sensor?