Mercedes Beats Tesla for Level 3 Autonomous Driving in California
Mercedes-Benz is slowly expanding its Level 3 autonomous driving presence in the United States. Earlier this year they received certification from the state of Nevada, and now California has been added to the list. Beating out the likes of Tesla and BMW, Mercedes Drive Pilot technology is the first to win over California’s stringent autonomous driving regulations. Let’s take a look at what’s behind the Drive Pilot system and what it could mean for the future of electric vehicles in the US.
What is Drive Pilot?
Drive Pilot is the name for the technology powering Mercedes Benz level three autonomous vehicles. The brand announced that it will be an option on 2024 S-Class and EQS sedan models (in certified regions), with the first half of these vehicles being delivered later this year.
What Can Drive Pilot Do?
In order to qualify as level 3 autonomous, a vehicle’s operating systems must be able to perform certain tasks. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), level 3 auto-driving vehicles can handle “all aspects of driving” but still require the driver to remain attentive enough to take over when necessary. In other words, the car can drive for you, but you won’t be able to take a nap just yet.
In the case of Drive Pilot, the technology is designed to handle certain situations, in particular. These include:
- Taking over for the driver on freeway sections with high traffic density (up to 40 mph).
- Reacting to traffic situations and implementing evasive or defensive maneuvers
- Interpreting and adhering to route and traffic signals
Should the driver fail to respond to prompts by the autonomous system to take over, Drive Pilot will automatically stop the vehicle and engage hazards to warn other drivers. The emergency call system is then activated and doors are unlocked to allow access by first responders, if necessary.
How Does Drive Pilot Work?
Mercedes’ level 3 autonomous technology utilizes a variety of cameras, microphones, and sensors in order to assess the vehicle’s surroundings and make artificially intelligent choices based on data received from them. LiDAR is an important part of the system. This highly sophisticated technology uses lasers to generate a detailed map of objects and terrain under and around the car.
Combined with other sensors, such as a road wetness sensor, and redundant safety systems, Drive Pilot is the safest most sophisticated autonomous technology on the market.
How Much Will Drive Pilot Cost?
The exact cost of the Mercedes Benz Drive Pilot level 3 autonomous driving option has not been announced for US vehicles. However, the option is currently available in Germany for 5000 euros on the S-class and 7000 Euros for the EQS. At current exchange rates, that is around $5476.75 for the S-class, and $7667.45 for the S-Class.
When Can I Test Drive a Level 3 Mercedes?
Again, the first fleet of S-Class and EQS vehicles with the Drive Pilot option will arrive at US dealerships later this year. We are excited to see what states will be next to approve the Drive Pilot technology-fingers crossed that Colorado is at the top of the list!
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