Catch up on work, watch TV and let your Benz cruise the Autobahn at 95kmh with Drive Pilot.
Mercedes has earned something unique in Germany. Their Pilot Drive autonomous driving feature has been approved in Germany. This is Level 3 autonomous tech, meaning drivers can do as they wish behind the wheel, all within the letter of the law. It’s a big leap for any car maker, as Mercedes has the highest speed Level 3 approval. According to Hypebeast this is up to 95 kilometers per hour – or 59 miles per hour for us state side.
Center to all this tech is a LiDAR system. Working with ultrasonic sensors, traditional radar and cameras that all work together to keep drivers safe. Redundancy is built in to the system so that drivers are alerted if they need to intervene. And if the driver doesn’t, the car will enter a second redundancy to bring the vehicle to a safe stop with hazard flashers. Paired with navigation, it’ll have the accuracy to know which lane you’re in, and assure proper lane usage is implemented. This is an important part of the safe operation of Germany’s Autobahn network,m especially if a vehicle is traveling at “only” 59 miles per hour.
Though not available in US markets, one aspect that will be trialed on this side of the world is lights that alert other drivers to autonomous cars. Turquoise is the color of choice now, fitting with the association of that color and their Formula 1 cars. Tech always trickles down, as they say. Tech that will trickle down in Germany is the over-the-air software update for newer S-class and EQS models.
There’s always fine print though, and this situation is no different. The speeds of Level 3 are limited. To be fair, 59 miles per hour is not all that fast, but it’s not slow either. Mercedes thinks they can bump that to 80 miles per hour within 5 years. All while keeping the cars safe. Drive Pilot also only works on the Autobahn network of roads. So any other major roads are off-limits for Drive Pilot. But if you leave with enough time, the Autobahn could be a mobile office of the future.
Photos: Mercedes-Benz
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