Level 2 autonomous driving lane change feature is coming to 15 different European Mercedes-Benz models via an over-the-air update.
As the world moves more toward electric power, it also tends to move toward autonomous driving. All of those “futuristic” concepts from the 1950s portraying cars that drive themselves inch closer and closer to reality with every passing minute. Of course, there are a handful of stepping stones that lead to that point. Mercedes-Benz is moving forward to the next stone, though. In Europe, over 200,000 Mercedes-Benz models that are already on the roads will receive an over-the-air update that enables automatic lane changing.
Just a couple of decades ago, the thought of a vehicle being able to safely and automatically change lanes on your behalf would have been laughable. Then again, so would the notion that your car could receive a software update overnight and suddenly have the ability to make those lane changes. We digress. According to CarScoops, The European vehicles that will receive this update include C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, GLC, CLE, EQE, EQS, EQE SUV, and EQS SUV models.
Don’t be Scared, You Can Trust Technology! Right?
Our readers in the United States and North America may have taken note of the fact that this article states that this update is going to European Mercedes-Benz models. While that may seem like a breath of fresh air for those who are concerned about the safety of autonomous driving features on U.S. roadways, we have some bad news for you: it’s already here. That said, while the concept of your vehicle changing lanes for you does seem a little intimidating, there’s no reason to worry.
This system is a Level 2 Autonomous driving system, which means that the vehicle’s driver is still responsible for monitoring its safe execution. The automatic lane change system detects the traffic surrounding the vehicle before switching lanes, overtaking slower-moving traffic, and returning to its original lane. In Europe, the system is only available between the speeds of 50 and 87 miles per hour. So, so long as the person driving the vehicle is within that range of speed and is properly paying attention to the road, operation of the automatic lane change system should be perfectly safe.
A First for Mercedes-Benz
“With the Automatic Lane Change function, Mercedes-Benz is once again demonstrating its innovative strength in the development of new driving assistance systems. We simultaneously developed the Automatic Lane Change function, or ALC for short, in North America, Europe and China for our local customers. With ALC, Mercedes-Benz is offering a driving function as an over-the-air update for the first time,” said Mercedes-Benz member of the board of management Markus Schäfer.
Indeed, the update for automatic lane change functionality is the first update Mercedes-Benz owners have received over the air. This means no trip to the dealership or anywhere else so long as the car is sufficiently network-connected. This is not likely to be the last time Mercedes opts for an over-the-air update. So, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled to see future announcements for OTA updates!
Photos: Mercedes-Benz
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