[javapro]

Is this how it's supposed to work in US (see video above)?

1. Steering and traffic jam assistant is on, i. e. regular driving assistant mode is active.
2. "Assist Plus Ready" symbol in white comes on in the instrument cluster when the car slows down below 40 mph plus other various conditions mentioned in the owners manual are met (e.g. line markings are detected).
3. Press the mode button on the steering wheel which selects the new "Assist Plus" mode which now appears in the function bar in the instrument cluster.
4. The road display in the instrument cluster becomes solid green.
5. Steering wheel LEDs light up in green while Extended Traffic Jam Assistant is active.

I just realized that I never had the plus mode activated and was just using the regular traffic jam assistant.

Also, is it true that in the plus mode, you don't have to put your hands on the steering wheel every 15 seconds or so and the car will automatically start moving even if the traffic is stopped for several minutes? I think in the regular assist mode it won't start moving by itself if stopped for some time. Thank you.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by javapro

Is this how it's supposed to work in US (see video above)?

1. Steering and traffic jam assistant is on, i. e. regular driving assistant mode is active.
2. "Assist Plus Ready" symbol in white comes on in the instrument cluster when the car slows down below 40 mph plus other various conditions mentioned in the owners manual are met (e.g. line markings are detected).
3. Press the mode button on the steering wheel which selects the new "Assist Plus" mode which now appears in the function bar in the instrument cluster.
4. The road display in the instrument cluster becomes solid green.
5. Steering wheel LEDs light up in green while Extended Traffic Jam Assistant is active.

I just realized that I never had the plus mode activated and was just using the regular traffic jam assistant.

Also, is it true that in the plus mode, you don't have to put your hands on the steering wheel every 15 seconds or so and the car will automatically start moving even if the traffic is stopped for several minutes? I think in the regular assist mode it won't start moving by itself if stopped for some time. Thank you.

Yes - this is how it works. If you're on a highway and are in a traffic jam and notification will show up saying eTJA is avaialbe. Then you hit mode to activate it. Then sit back and relax. Fully hands free so long as you're going less than 40mph.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

Yes - this is how it works. If you're on a highway and are in a traffic jam and notification will show up saying eTJA is available. Then you hit mode to activate it. Then sit back and relax. Fully hands free so long as you're going less than 40mph.

Thanks for the confirmation. Also, I did find in the owner's manual that ACC with Stop & Go will be automatically interrupted "after a longer stationary period when the vehicle has been braked to a stop by the system." (can they find a better translator?) So, unless you are in the plus mode, the car will not always start moving automatically although I would like to know what this "longer stationary period" is.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by javapro

Thanks for the confirmation. Also, I did find in the owner's manual that ACC with Stop & Go will be automatically interrupted "after a longer stationary period when the vehicle has been braked to a stop by the system." (can they find a better translator?) So, unless you are in the plus mode, the car will not always start moving automatically although I would like to know what this "longer stationary period" is.

I've only seen that happen on stop lights. If you're in stop and go traffic it always has picked up for me.

[Stoshu]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

I've only seen that happen on stop lights. If you're in stop and go traffic it always has picked up for me.

In a traffic jam situation it has always stopped and started based on traffic patterns for me (not a ton of experience with it though). In normal assisted driving, when the car stops behind a car at a light, it will automatically start again as traffic moves, if you had to brake, thus turning off cruise, you will need to either manually accelerate or reengage the cruise control (preference is to accelerate and then reengage cruise for me).

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by Stoshu

In a traffic jam situation it has always stopped and started based on traffic patterns for me (not a ton of experience with it though). In normal assisted driving, when the car stops behind a car at a light, it will automatically start again as traffic moves, if you had to brake, thus turning off cruise, you will need to either manually accelerate or reengage the cruise control (preference is to accelerate and then reengage cruise for me).

yeah. I've been at lights before where it will give me a little chirp letting me know to push the accelerator b/c traffic is starting to move. Maybe this is b/c the driver attention camera detected I wasn't paying attention.

[Auricom]

Ja, that pretty how it works. I use it all the time, LOL.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Ja, that pretty how it works. I use it all the time, LOL.

Nice! So, all you need to do is activate the regular driving assistant and when the traffic slows down below 40 mph, the plus mode will become available?

P. S. Are you located in US as "DMV" is a pretty vague location? We can now get a glimpse of your legs -

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by javapro

Nice! So, all you need to do is activate the regular driving assistant and when the traffic slows down below 40 mph, the plus mode will become available?

P. S. Are you located in US as "DMV" is a pretty vague location? We can now get a glimpse of your legs -

DMV = DC/Maryland/Virginia. So the suburbs of DC.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

DMV = DC/Maryland/Virginia. So the suburbs of DC.

OK but his country is missing just like yours BTW - It's much more convenient to have the country in your profile so everyone is aware of which geographic region you are in. Country is a dropdown so you can't put some free text stuff in there that people don't recognize. That is precisely the problem with the location field.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by javapro

Nice! So, all you need to do is activate the regular driving assistant and when the traffic slows down below 40 mph, the plus mode will become available?

Just note that it will not instantly appear, but rather after a short while, maybe 20 seconds or so of being under 40mph / 60km/h on a expressway and the other nebulous conditions are met.

I personally find it makes traffic way less irritating... almost enjoyable if i am not in a hurry. The hands free part is icing on the cake but even with keeping the hands on the wheel it is much more relaxing to be in a jam than driving normally. You do have to keep looking forward and paying attention or it will disengage. Once traffic picks up speed and you reach the threshold, it will beep to let you know it wants you to hold the wheel again.

[Aimster82]

I don't like plus mode. I prefer to just have it in regular mode and keep my knees touching the wheel. In bumper to bumper traffic I am not really paying attention and it keeps alerting me to stay focused.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by javapro

Thanks for the confirmation. Also, I did find in the owner's manual that ACC with Stop & Go will be automatically interrupted "after a longer stationary period when the vehicle has been braked to a stop by the system." (can they find a better translator?) So, unless you are in the plus mode, the car will not always start moving automatically although I would like to know what this "longer stationary period" is.

I have never had it not move due to a "longer stationary period" and I use it all of the time on all different types of roads. As already mentioned, the only time it has not moved was when I was not looking straight ahead and the camera noticed.

[-Vanguard-]

Yep, this feature is amazing when you hit a hot zone on a highway. You can just sit on your phone and not have to steer or anything lol.

Dont text and drive!

[hyde]

Originally Posted by -Vanguard-

Yep, this feature is amazing when you hit a hot zone on a highway. You can just sit on your phone and not have to steer or anything lol.

Dont text and drive!

It will remind you to stay alert if you look away or on your phone more than few seconds. Use it the way it's designed, help you avoid having to hit gas/brake/gas/brake repetitively and to keep you in lane without having to touch the steering wheel, not as "self driving". I love it in very slow moving (but moving) traffic, because in stop & go, people cut in and I feel like BMW keeps intimidating them as not recognizing the cut-in, keeps driving... But if it's a slow moving road, everyone is moving, not a lot of lane changer, and it's beautiful. I got stuck on 495 last weekend, and I don't think I touched the steering wheel or pedals for more than 30 minutes.

I just look at other cars, drivers, map, I am now wishing we could project movies to HUD! Ultimate Driving & Entertainment Machine.

[FCX5]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Ja, that pretty how it works. I use it all the time, LOL.

LOL. I live and work around Tyson's and can see that traffic you are on everyday! Sometimes even late at night. A lot of people around here buy Tesla's for the auto drive, but I have been recommending the X5 for this since it's low speed driving. BMW should probably market this more! It's great.

[Tommy11220]

Just out of curiosity, is this mode available anywhere in Europe? Jurisdictions over here seem to be rather strict when it comes to (partially) autonomous driving. In Austria not even the traffic light assist is permitted, not to mention driving assistant plus.

[BrummyGit]

Originally Posted by Tommy11220

Just out of curiosity, is this mode available anywhere in Europe? Jurisdictions over here seem to be rather strict when it comes to (partially) autonomous driving. In Austria not even the traffic light assist is permitted, not to mention driving assistant plus.

I've never seen it operate here in the UK either, and traffic light assistant is also disabled in the software. So frustrating knowing that the car can do these things but we are forbidden from using them.

[YuicyYumboYack]

Originally Posted by BrummyGit

I've never seen it operate here in the UK either, and traffic light assistant is also disabled in the software. So frustrating knowing that the car can do these things but we are forbidden from using them.

Didn't realize it was disabled in Europe, unfortunate since it has worked really well so far for me.

[Stoshu]

Originally Posted by BrummyGit

I've never seen it operate here in the UK either, and traffic light assistant is also disabled in the software. So frustrating knowing that the car can do these things but we are forbidden from using them.

That’s how we in the US feel about the Anti-Dazzle Headlight feature!

[volodp]

Originally Posted by Tommy11220

Just out of curiosity, is this mode available anywhere in Europe?

Never seen it working anywhere in my home region of the Central Europe either.

[ifr]

ETJA is not available in Europe. It might come to the U.K. if we approve the hands off regs, but will most likely need coding if it's made available on future S18A models. They may just decide to include it for SP21.

Traffic light assist works great in the U.K. with coding