BMW 2005 Annual Report Download - page 33

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roads, entrance drives and in dark underground
garages, tangibly increasing safety when driving at
night.
With High-Beam-Assist, a camera sensor inte-
grated in the inside rear view mirror housing regis-
ters traffic activity on the road and automatically
controls the activation and deactivation of the high
beam. The system identifies the headlights and rear
lights of vehicles, as well as the surrounding road
lighting. The high beam switches on in the absence
of vehicles on the road ahead and of oncoming traf-
fic on poorly lit roads.
ACC Stop& Go is a further development of the
Active Cruise Control (ACC) system which is already
available in the BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series and which
became available as an option in the new BMW 3
Series in spring 2005. BMW Group engineers are
working on the introduction of serial production of a
Stop&Go function which will extend the usable ACC
speed range down to standstill. As with the ACC se-
rial function, with ACC Stop& Go, the driver remains
responsible for the vehicle and can intervene in the
process at any stage. If the ACC Stop& Go system
recognises that its own limited braking ability is not
adequate in a particular situation, then the driver is
given visual or acoustic warnings in sufficient time to
apply the brakes himself.
Purchasing structures based on a global
approach
The global structure of the BMW Group is reflected
in a corresponding regional split of the purchase
volume, approximately half of which continues to be
accounted for by Germany. Due to the first full pro-
duction year of the BMW 1 Series and the high pro-
duction volumes of the MINI, there was a slight shift
(one percentage point) in purchase volume from
Germany to the remainder of Western Europe. In-
creased purchasing activities by the BMW Group in
Central and Eastern Europe for the BMW 1 and 3
Series resulted in a one percentage point increase
in purchases in those regions. Purchases in the
project has demonstrated that innovative motor
technology and low-consumption engines are eco-
nomically feasible in lower vehicle segments. Two
motor concepts have been developed: an unsuper-
charged engine with fully variable valve drive, and a
supercharged direct injection engine. Both engines
set new standards in their respective capacity cate-
gories in terms of technology, dynamics and effi-
ciency, without reduction in performance or driving
comfort.
Many special details have been added to the
new engines in order to meet strict requirements;
these include the fully variable valve drive, the vol-
ume-flow controlled oil pump, the single-belt drive
of the engines ancillaries, individual coils and
com-
posite camshafts. In addition, a host of innovative
solutions have been included in this category for
the first time: these include a direct gasoline in-
jection to improve performance, the twin-scroll
exhaust turbocharger, a on-demand mechanical
coolant pump and the new tightening unit for the
poly-V-drivebelt.
Together with the oil/water heat exchanger,
the on-demand water pump serves to reduce fuel
consumption and emissions. It saves drive power
and reduces the engine’s warming-up phase be-
cause the coolant does not circulate until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
Drive assistant systems improve safety
BMW drivers will be able to drive with better visibility
at night time and dusk with the BMW Night Vision
and High Beam Assist systems. BMW Night Vision
incorporates a thermal imaging camera covering
an area of up to 300 metres in front of the vehicle.
The image created on the central monitor displays
objects more brilliantly, the greater the warmth regis-
tered by the camera. People and animals are there-
fore the brightest areas of the image – and also the
main points to concentrate on when driving respon-
sibly. BMW Night Vision offers customers particular
benefits on routes through the country, along narrow
Group Management Report 8
A Review of the Financial Year 8
The General Economic Environment 11
Review of operations 15
BMW Stock in 2005 38
Financial Analysis 41
--Internal Management System 41
--Earnings performance 42
--Financial position 45
--Net assets position 46
--Subsequent events report 49
--Value added statement 49
--Key performance figures 51
--Comments on BMW AG 52
Risk Management 56
Outlook 60