BMW to use i3s Traction Control Technology in all BMW and Mini models

BMW has announced that it will be using the same traction control technology that is used in the BMW i3s to all future BMW and Mini models.

The most notable feature of the i3’s traction control system is that it has been calibrated to help the vehicle to pull away quickly from a stop, taking full advantage of the instantaneous torque that the vehicle’s electric motor offers. It also offers other advantages like better stability when accelerating out of corners, when using regenerative braking and, in the case of adverse road conditions. The result is a smoother driving experience and better response to the accelerator.

The reason why the traction control technology is so good is that when it comes to stability control, the i3’s traction control system is 50 times faster than the conventional system as the control process is moved into the powertrain itself, instead of functioning from a remote unit. This reduces the path of the signal and hence cuts down the the response time of the traction control system.

BMW’s Head of Chassis Development, Peter Langen, said, “With their high levels of torque and instantaneous responses to every movement of the accelerator, electric motors already make significantly higher demands on driving stability systems than conventional power units.”

The i3’s traction control system is meant to extract the best out of the electric motor, but BMW says that its shorter cycles can be of use even in the case of internal combustion vehicles as well.