BMW says a new traction control system being debuted in the electric i3s will eventually be rolled out across all BMW and Mini models because of the benefits to driving stability resulting from shorter control cycles, especially in adverse conditions.
BMW says the new system results in 50-times faster responses for greater traction and driving stability in adverse road conditions and while the car is under brake energy recuperation.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The traction control system has been adapted specifically to the instantaneous power delivery of the BMW eDrive system.
BMW claims the system improves traction and driving stability in adverse weather and road conditions when pulling away, in active Brake Energy Regeneration phases and when accelerating out of tight corners.
At the heart of the innovation is the control system's 50-times- faster routine, made possible because – unlike conventional driving stability systems – the control process is now calculated directly in the powertrain instead of in a remote unit requiring long signal paths.
"With their high levels of torque and instantaneous responses to every movement of the accelerator, electric motors already make significantly higher demands on driving stability systems than conventional power units," said Peter Langen, Head of Chassis Development at BMW.
BMW engineers developed the system geared to the demands of electric mobility. However, it says the positive impact of shorter control cycles is not reserved for purely electrically driven cars and the traction control system also optimises traction, driving stability and driving dynamics in vehicles with combustion engines. It will therefore be fitted in BMW and Mini models with front-, rear- and all-wheel drive.
