"BMW Assist Adds "Risk of Severe Injury" Algorithm to Automatic Crash Notification" Edmunds Daily

BMW Assist Adds "Risk of Severe Injury" Algorithm to Automatic Crash Notification

Telematics systems such as OnStar can automatically report where a car accident has occurred, how many airbags have deployed, the direction of impact and even whether a vehicle has rolled over. Now BMW Assist has added a "Risk of Severe Injury" algorithm to its Automatic Collision Notification service to paint a more accurate picture for first-responders as to what they may encounter at the accident scene and how to best prepare for the worst.

BMW jointly developed the algorithm with the William Lehman Injury Research Center in Miami to better predict the likelihood of severe injury to the car's occupants in a crash. BMW claims the new algorithm allows BMW Assist operators to estimate the the probability of injury to occupants as well as the extent of the injuries and transmit the info to authorities.

As with OnStar, BMW Assist reports information from sensors in a vehicle to determine the type of collision and monitor the status of safety systems such as airbags and seat belts and whether there was a front-seat passenger.

The new feature will be available on all 2009 and later model BMW vehicles, with the exception of the X3.