BMW X5 Adds Automatic Doors as New Luxury Option

, making it one of the most notable upgrades for the model. The doors can be opened and closed through touch sensors near the window line, buttons inside, voice commands, the center display, the My BMW App, or, for the driver’s side, simply by pressing the brake pedal once seated.

The system uses small Winglets instead of traditional handles, and radar sensors in the side skirts help prevent the doors from hitting nearby vehicles, walls, cyclists, or pedestrians. According to BMW, this radar-based approach allows faster operation than other sensor technologies.

If the powered mechanism fails, a servo mode lets occupants open the doors manually without extra effort.

This feature is not entirely new to the BMW Group, it already appears on the 7 Series and electric i7, as well as Rolls-Royce models like the Phantom, Ghost, Spectre, and Cullinan. Outside the group, the Tesla Model X, Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV and S-Class, and the latest Audi Q7 and Q9 also offer similar powered doors.

For the X5, this option marks a significant step upmarket, adding a level of convenience and luxury that was previously reserved for far more expensive vehicles.