In wake of fatal Tesla crash, BMW is in slow lane to roll out self-driving vehicles

A day after the disclosure of the first death in a crash involving a self-driving vehicle, BMW on Friday announced plans to release a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles by 2021. In a partnership with Intel and Mobileye, the German automaker said its planned iNEXT model won't require a human in the driver's seat. That marks a different course toward self-driving vehicles than Tesla, which offers a self-driving "autopilot" feature to those participating in a "public beta phase" -- though drivers are supposed to stay engaged and keep their hands on the steering wheel. That system was in use during a fatal crash in Florida in May in which a Tesla Model S failed to detect a big-rig in its path and apply the brakes. BMW Chief Executive Harold Krueger addressed the Tesla crash during a news conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday, saying his company is not yet ready to roll out partially or fully autonomous vehicles.