Until now, Danish BMW owners had to cross the border into Germany to try it. Now BMW Highway Assistant is coming to Denmark. On approved motorways, the system lets drivers take their hands completely off the steering wheel at speeds of up to 130 km/h, while the car steers, keeps its distance and adjusts its speed on its own.
That 130 km/h ceiling matters in Denmark: it means the system can, in principle, be used right up to the country’s motorway speed limit.
Change lanes with a glance
When Highway Assistant is active, the car keeps itself centred in its lane and maintains a safe distance to the traffic ahead. It can also suggest a lane change. The driver does not need to touch the indicator: a glance in the relevant side mirror is enough to confirm, and the car then changes lanes by itself.
Hands off, eyes on
The key word is still assistant. Highway Assistant is an SAE Level 2 system, which means the driver remains responsible for the car, must follow the traffic and be ready to take over immediately. A camera in the cabin monitors the driver’s gaze and head movements to make sure that happens. Hands can rest in your lap, but this is no time to open a laptop or take a nap.
The system is also limited to approved motorways. It will not necessarily be available on every stretch of Danish motorway or in all conditions, and the car itself decides when Highway Assistant can be activated.
BMW i3 among the first
BMW Denmark has confirmed that the new electric BMW i3 will get Highway Assistant from production in November 2026. In the i3, the system is even more closely linked to navigation. With a route set in BMW Maps, the car can assist from the motorway on-ramp all the way to the right exit, suggesting and carrying out the necessary lane changes along the way once the driver approves them with a glance.
The new BMW 3 Series is also already listed with Highway Assistant on BMW’s Danish website, with hands-free driving at up to 130 km/h on approved motorways.
Part of a wider European roll-out
Denmark is part of a much larger expansion. In Europe, the previous generation of Highway Assistant was in practice limited to Germany, although it was also available in the USA and Canada. The new generation is approved under the international UN R171 regulation for Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS), which has opened the door to many more European countries.
BMW says Highway Assistant will be available in 21 countries by the end of 2026. Worldwide, BMW drivers have already covered more than 250 million kilometres hands-free with the system active.
How it compares with rivals
Hands-free driving is not entirely new. Many cars can already steer, accelerate and brake on the motorway, but most require the driver to hold or touch the wheel at regular intervals. BMW instead relies on camera monitoring of the driver, so hands can stay off the wheel as long as conditions allow and the driver keeps watching the road.
Ford offers a similar Level 2 system, BlueCruise, which is already approved in Denmark. Mercedes-Benz has its MB.DRIVE family of assistance systems and the more advanced Level 3 DRIVE PILOT.
Highway Assistant does not make a BMW self-driving. But on a long motorway trip, say from Copenhagen to Aarhus, it takes over much of the monotonous work, without the driver constantly having to prove that they are still holding the wheel.
