BMW continues to drive its innovation forward with the release of Brake Force Display, a dynamic safety enhancement feature available on most models from May 2004.

Brake Force Display is a simple yet effective way of communicating to following traffic that the BMW in front is stopping quickly, providing extra advance warning of a potential road hazard ahead. This should help lessen the need for harsh emergency braking by following drivers who now have extra reaction time.

Brake Force Display warning has been fitted to BMW vehicles sold in the United States for some time, and has just gained approval by regulatory bodies in Europe and Australia for use in these markets.

BMW hopes the adoption of Brake Force Display will lead to a reduction in avoidable rear-end collisions as well as help prevent loss of control caused by panic braking in vehicles not equipped with advanced electronic chassis systems such as BMW’s Dynamic Stability Control III.

Brake Force Display works by increasing the intensity of the brake lights in the rear lamp clusters by expanding the number of illuminated LEDs when heavy braking is detected.

The extra lighting is triggered after the anti-lock brake sensors detect a rate of deceleration in excess of 5 m/secondČ.

As an example of the force of the braking, at 5 m/secondČ a briefcase placed on a car seat would accelerate off the seat onto the floor.

The system reacts within a few tenths of a second to increase the intensity of the stoplight illumination, projecting a highly visible warning beacon to following traffic.

Only deceleration forces trigger Brake Force Display, not simply pedal pressure, in order to avoid unnecessary illumination.

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BMW 5 Series, X3 and 6 Series Coupe and Convertible will be fitted with Brake Force Display technology from March 2004 production, while the 3 Series, X5 and Z4 Roadster will include the feature from April 2004 production.

Brake Force Display joins a long list of safety feature firsts introduced as standard equipment on BMW vehicles sold in Australia and other markets under its industry-leading FIRST (Fully Integrated Road Safety Technology) policy which includes anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, dual-stage intelligent airbags and rigid body shells equipped with impact absorbing crumple zones.