BMW launches geofencing for PHEVs in UK ULEZ cities | Automotive Industry News

ULEZs are demonstrated on navigation display

BMW is launching eDrive Zones in London and Birmingham. This is a new digital service which automates the system of switching to electrical-only energy when a plug-in hybrid car (PHEV) enters a defined spot of these cities.

The service is comparable to than introduced not long ago for Ford’s Transit Customized PHEV which presents the selection of geofencing engineering to aid increase urban air high-quality. Using live spot facts, the PHEV automatically switches to electrical push method whenever moving into predefined places this sort of as congestion and small-emission zones. The geofencing tech require not only utilize to city centres: operators can also produce ‘green zones’ to inspire small-emission driving in close proximity to colleges, playgrounds and warehouses. When the car leaves a controlled zone, it automatically switches to the most suitable push method for the upcoming stage of its vacation.

BMW said its process also automatically makes certain electrical energy is conserved for use throughout the section of the journey inside of the small emission zone, if the journey spot is entered into the vehicle’s navigation process.

“This is the adaptability that shoppers want, as they make the changeover to electromobility,” said Pieter Nota, BMW board member for purchaser, models, profits.

“We urge governments to prioritise plug-in hybrid vehicles in get to inspire shoppers to live a additional sustainable life-style.”

The eDrive Zones service, is normal on BMW PHEVs with the hottest Operating Process 7. and, like Ford’s process, employs geo-fencing engineering via GPS inside of the vehicle’s navigation process. The eDrive Zones in London and Birmingham are highlighted graphically on the vehicle’s navigation screen so motorists can see their spot.

This attribute, enabled in purchaser vehicles as of 7 August, addresses the same geographic spot as the TFL Congestion Demand/ULEZ zone in London while in Birmingham it addresses the city’s prepared Thoroughly clean Air Zone which is thanks to be applied in 2021. BMW strategies to introduce this engineering in additional cities throughout the Uk and Eire in the future.

The eDrive Zones has also been manufactured available via a absolutely free around the air software program update for compatible BMW PHEVs, this means existing shoppers can also benefit from the engineering.

In an early trial of the engineering, carried out in the Netherlands in 2018, ninety% of all routes inside of the trial zone in Rotterdam have been driven in electrical-only method.