For years, BMW has quietly prided itself on building cars that are fun to drive but also safe, and the new 2006 3 Series includes the latest technologies designed to protect occupants in the event of a crash.

Passive occupant protection includes standard seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front seat passengers, an improvement over last year’s door-mounted restraints. With the side-impact airbags located in the side bolsters of the front seats rather than the door panels, they are properly positioned no matter how far forward or rearward the seat is placed in the track. BMW also includes a new side-curtain airbag system that protects both front and rear occupants, and all outboard seatbelts are equipped with pretensioners and force-limiters. Side airbags for rear seat occupants are no longer available on the 3 Series – the company says protection levels have improved to the point that these would be redundant.

Active safety is managed through BMW’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with traction control. DSC operates through the bigger four-wheel, vented-disc, antilock braking system equipped with electronic brake proportioning. DSC includes three modes of operation – “full-on safety suit,” “let’s play with the tail a little,” and “you’re on your own.”

For 2006, several new braking features have been added to 3-Series to improve safety, including brake standby, fading compensation, brake drying, and start-off assistant features. Brake standby prepares for a panic stop when the driver’s foot is abruptly released from the accelerator, under the assumption that rapid braking is going to be required. Fading compensation reacts to rising brake temperatures, and accordingly adjusts hydraulic pressure relative to pedal force when the new Three is driven the way God intended. Brake drying removes wetness from the brake rotors in the rain, based on sensor readings from the standard rain-sensing wiper system. Start-off assistant holds a 3 Series with a manual transmission in place on a hill until the clutch is released and the accelerator is depressed.

Additionally, the braking system works with the standard dynamic cruise control to help maintain pre-set speeds. Active cruise control is optional, ensuring proper following distances with traffic ahead, and adaptive xenon headlights are available to illuminate the road ahead – even if it’s curvy.

BMW offers an optional Park Distance Control (PDC) system to keep children out of harm’s way and the bumpers in good shape during parking maneuvers by warning the driver when objects are close to the 2006 3 Series. Also, the optional BMW Assist telematics service includes automatic collision notification, SOS emergency calling, and instant access to both roadside assistance and a concierge service.

Last, but not least, run-flat tires are standard equipment, allowing 150 miles of range at up to 50 mph so that even if a gaping pothole destroys two tires at the same time, the driver of the 2006 BMW 3 Series is not stranded someplace unsafe, such as Lane 3 of the Dan Ryan expressway on a rainy night, the middle of the Mojave desert on a triple-digit day, or in a neighborhood where drugs, guns, and kids without respect for human life run rampant.