On-demand control of ancillary units saves energy

Intelligent energy management in the new BMW 3-Series is further enhanced by the ancillary units, which consume significantly less energy compared with conventional systems. Examples include the on-demand coolant pump, the electronically controlled oil pump and the electromechanical steering system, which only consumes electric power when steering assistance is actually required. The special air conditioning compressor featured on many of the sports sedan models works on the same principle. As soon as the driver switches the air conditioning off, the belt drive to the compressor is disconnected by a magnetic clutch, to minimise power drain.

    See also:

    Volume
    ▷ "Speed volume": speed-dependent volume control. ▷ "PDC": volume of the PDC signal compared to the entertainment sound output. ▷ "Gong": volume o ...

    Steering wheel heating
    Steering wheel heating Switching on/off Press the button. ▷ On: the LED lights up. ▷ Off: the LED goes out. ...

    General information
    The interior lamps, footwell lamps, entry lamps and courtesy lamps are controlled automatically. The brightness of some of these lamps is influenced by the thumbwheel for the instrument lightin ...