The 2 Series has standard driver and passenger side airbags combined with three-point seat belts, a combination which is 29% more effective in preventing injury and death than seatbelts alone.
To maximize occupant safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the BMW 2 Series have pretensioners to eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers.
The 2 Series has shoulder harnesses for all passengers. Shoulder harnesses are 10% more effective than lap belts in preventing injuries from collisions. Recent studies indicate that lap belts alone may cause as many or more injuries than they prevent.
The BMW 2 Series has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision.
The 2 Series has standard front seat side-impact airbags and head airbags for both seat rows, which act as a forgiving barrier between the passengers and the door. Combined with high-strength steel door beams this system increases protection from broadside collisions.
Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the 2 Series deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. Airbags without smart features will always deploy full force.
The 2 Series has standard four-wheel antilock disc brakes for quicker stops and controlled steering ability, especially under poor traction conditions.
The 2 Series has standard City Collision Mitigation, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether.
The 2 Series has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries.
Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 2 Series offers optional Active Park Distance Control that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision.
The 2 Series offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow.
To prevent wheel-spin and loss of control under poor traction conditions, full range traction control is standard on the BMW 2 Series.
The 2 Series has standard Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which uses the antilock brake hardware along with powerful software and additional sensors to detect the beginning of a skid. DSC then intervenes by automatically applying the brake at one appropriate wheel, preventing a skid. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study showed that skid control systems reduced single-vehicle car crashes by 30%.
The BMW 2 Series has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous.
The 2 Series’ lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane.
The 2 Series has standard Park Distance Control to help warn drivers about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The 2 Series also has a standard backup monitor to help drivers see any and all obstacles behind their vehicle, and an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle.
The 2 Series’ blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 2 Series’ standard Cross Traffic Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions.
The 2 Series’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year.
For better protection of the passenger compartment, the 2 Series uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. A body-on-frame design has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.
Compared to metal, the 2 Series’ plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire.
The 2 Series’ gas tank is mounted inside the frame rails in front of the rear axle to optimally protect the fuel tank in a collision. A gas tank mounted behind the rear axle is more susceptible to rear collisions.
The 2 Series has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. Without a GPS response system, if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.