BMW's SMG has been CRITICIZED in just about every review I've seen as too harsh, nothing like an auto even in auto mode, unclear how the numerous different program modes for it vary, etc. And compared to DSG from VW/Audi, SMG is like a horse and buggy.

But BMW is certainly innovative - their active roll control, their active steering (which some like, some don't) and one braking feature I haven't seen anyone else do which is where if it's raining the car will move the calipers closer to the pads and occasionally touch to dry them off! WAY cool.

to be exact, even the ls460l will have that feature

still, i think it would be cool if they can show how the car gets out as well, just to make it complete. showing the car going in does nothing but only 50% of the story.

and if it's just a normal "straight in" into a parking spot, i think it's a bit useless. first if you buy a car of that size (7 series), you probably want a bigger garage first anyway. and if you are in a shopping mall and wanna use this. dings from cars beside you aside, but just lining up the car straight to the parking lot i think that's going to get a lot of honks from other people already?

I think they'd use the 'parktronic' sensors to detect people that walk in front or behind.

What kind of safegaurd does Lexus have for this? If you're inside the car, you're less likely to notice if someone if running in front or behind it.

Good post and good information...

Hmmm...in every article I've read, it seems that BMW gets props for their system. I have read that it is somewhat harsh, but as a test driver myself, I thought the SMG was light years beyond anything Toyota was doing...

Personally, I have never driven an Audi or VW sequential tranny, but I think the point is that you are still comparing to other german cars...maybe I should have said that German engineers are altogether clearer leaders, rather than focusing in on BMW, because that's basically what I meant.

This is EXACTLY the pont I was trying to outline, but was so much more eloquently stated by bitkahuna...the automotive innovations are still coming out of Germany. Techno-gadgets like cool electronic features inside the interior of the vehicle aside (which, companies like Lexus do just fine), BMW and the other german automakers seem to lead the way in the automotive side of technology (i.e. active roll control, active steering, etc.) similar to the way that Lexus leads the way in the electric/hybrid side of things...they are simply first to market with these technologies, and others follow...

dude....how is the guy in the OTHER beemer in that garage gonna get into his car?

So every time you go to a public lot you have to run out of your car and place a reflective mirror on the imaginary pole at the front of the parking space? And if one is being so bold as to park in such a tight spot how do you think you won't get door dings from the person next to you?

SMG is a lot like iDrive; it's a good system *if* you are allowed to learn it. It's incredibly harsh and notchy until you get used to it's quirks, exactly when to up and down shift, etc... When you've got it down it's great; that said I dislike it because I wouldn't see myself using it often just because it can be such a pain in the butt. I'd either go manual or auto and leave it in sport mode (btw, BMW's sport mode is very nice).

Oh, and dry braking (the thing bitkahuna was talking about) really *is* a cool feature. It's one of those technical gadgets that after you use it you think "why didn't someone do this before?"

Dude, it's a TECHNOLOGY...obviously, it won't be ubiquitously used unless everyone adopts it, but that's exactly the point...everyone WILL eventually adopt anything BMW does. The Germans are innovators.

So, no, I'm not saying it will be useful in a public lot when it first comes out (heck, if it doesn't back out automatically, then it's truly useless anyway)...but b/c it's BMW, it will catch on, everyone will do it, and soon you WILL see these mirrors in all the public lots. Leglislation will change for how we park our cars, etc., just b/c BMW innovated such a feature...

BTW, do you see public parking spaces dedicated to electric vehicles these days? I definitely do...this is a result of innovation and technology. How about the fact that Carpool lanes in California allow you to drive with one person as long as you have a hybrid or electric? Again, this is legislation that has resulted from technological advancements. I don't know about you, but I can envision a parking technology such as the one BMW is testing redefining legislation once more...

Ahhh...more people are catching my drift now...thanks for reinforcing my point.

Lexus is DEFINITELY catching up, but everyone still watches and waits to copy whatever comes out of Germany...I expect in the next 10 years or so, the technology gap will be so slight that Lexus and other Japanese companies will be neck-and-neck with BMW/Merc/Audi/etc. in terms of innovation. Heck, look at the hybrids again...Lexus is the clear leader there...no one else makes a 0-60 in 5.2 second hybrid vehicle (GS400h)

Through the sun roof?

Hahaahahhahaahahaahahhahaahahaahahhahaahahhahaahahhahaa

ROFL, I can picture it now....Landing in between the two seats, right on the shifter..Austin Powers style

So ONLY BECAUSE BMW did it, everyone else HAS to do it? Haha, okay then...

But it still rides somewhat like a boat.

Why would I ever want a german car computer parking my precious rideR?

The SMG transmission on BMW's are great when used like a manual transmission and driven hard and in a sporty manner. It is a little touchy in the full automatic mode though. That is why reviewers rave about it since they are shifting it themselves, but everyday people who put it in auto mode are less than happy with it. The Audi DSG is great when shifting, but also surprisingly smooth in auto mode as if it had a torque convertor. It is basically the next step up and I don't really see any reason why a torque convertor based automatic would be needed in the future if these clutchless shift manuals are getting that smooth.