BMW Group ADAS Data Collection Expands Across Europe

BMW Group Expands Real-World ADAS Data Collection

BMW Group is expanding its collection of real-world vehicle data in Europe to support improvements in driver-assistance systems and road safety. The BMW Group ADAS Data Collection program is designed to complement the company’s existing simulation programs and vehicle testing with information gathered during everyday driving. The approach applies to suitably equipped next-generation vehicles and is intended to provide additional insight into traffic situations where advanced driver-assistance systems can be particularly useful. BMW Group said the collected information can support future system improvements, including updates that may be delivered to vehicles through over-the-air software updates.

Customer Vehicles Add Real-World Testing Data

The new BMW iX3 and other next-generation models use advanced ADAS systems, while real-world information from customer vehicles provides an additional source of development data. Since April 2026, BMW Group has been able to collect image data in European Union countries from suitably equipped new-generation models. The vehicles covered include the BMW iX3, BMW i3, BMW X5 and BMW 7 Series, along with future models and vehicle updates. This collection expands the development environment beyond controlled testing and simulation by capturing relevant driving situations as they occur under real-world conditions.

Data Collection Requires Customer Consent

BMW Group will collect the relevant vehicle information only when customers provide consent and in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements. The company’s approach is focused on gathering information that can help engineers understand and improve specific driver-assistance functions rather than collecting unrestricted vehicle data. The information may include images showing the vehicle’s surroundings, sensor information and driving data such as vehicle speed, direction and steering angle. These inputs can help identify situations in which ADAS functions need to respond effectively and provide information that can be used in subsequent system development.

Focus Areas Include Critical Traffic Situations

The data collection effort will concentrate on traffic situations where driver-assistance systems can provide important safety benefits. BMW Group identified scenarios including collision prevention during lane changes, emergency braking, heavy braking and sudden evasive maneuvers as areas of focus. Capturing relevant information from these situations can help engineers evaluate how systems perform in circumstances that may require rapid vehicle responses. By combining real-world data with existing simulation and testing processes, the company aims to strengthen its understanding of how ADAS functions operate across varied driving conditions and support the development of future system improvements.

Event-Based Video Collection Begins in September

From mid-September 2026, event-based video clips of up to 120 seconds per event may be collected from eligible vehicles. This approach is intended to focus data gathering around defined driving events rather than continuously collecting unrelated footage. The information can provide additional context around specific ADAS-relevant situations, including the circumstances leading up to and during a vehicle response. BMW Group’s stated focus on relevant information, customer consent and data-protection requirements establishes the framework for using these vehicle-generated inputs as part of its broader development process for future driver-assistance technologies.

Industry Impact & Outlook

BMW Group’s expanded real-world data collection highlights the growing role of customer-vehicle information in developing and refining advanced driver-assistance systems. For automakers, combining road data with simulation and controlled vehicle testing can provide a broader basis for evaluating system behavior in specific traffic situations, while consent and data-protection requirements remain important constraints on how such information is gathered and used. The initiative could support more targeted ADAS improvements for future Europe-market vehicles and potentially enable refinements through over-the-air software updates. The planned event-based video collection from September 2026 also indicates a more focused approach to gathering information around safety-relevant driving events.

Frequently Asked Questions

What data is BMW Group collecting from customer vehicles?
BMW Group may collect relevant images, sensor information and driving data from suitably equipped vehicles when customers provide consent. The collected information can include images of the vehicle’s surroundings, vehicle speed, direction and steering angle, with the purpose of supporting ADAS development and road-safety improvements. From mid-September 2026, event-based video clips of up to 120 seconds per event may also be collected. The company says data collection will follow applicable data-protection requirements and focus on specific traffic situations where driver-assistance systems are especially useful.