Cars and Drivers

Mercedes Advances Self-Driving Car Initiative

Chris Lange

Published: May 2, 2017 11:50 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 12:25 pm

Mercedes is making another big step forward in its development of autonomous driving vehicles with its extended driver assistance functions in the new S-class. Apart from the functions, the car has improved camera and radar systems that allow it to look further ahead and provide for safer navigation. The car will also make a substantially greater use of the map and navigation data.

Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce this next generation of driver assistance systems with its updated S-Class. The scope of automated driving functions has been expanded in line with practical needs and now provides enhanced benefits on virtually all types of roads.

The features that Mercedes-Benz is releasing with this model include the following:

• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, which is able to assist the driver in many situations, even on a route-specific basis and comfortably adjust the vehicle speed.
• Active Speed Limit Assist, which automatically adapts the vehicle’s speed to identified speed limits in conjunction with COMAND Navigation.
• Active Steering Assist has been noticeably improved across its entire performance spectrum, resulting in markedly enhanced customer benefits.
• Active Lane Change Assist assists the driver in a convenient and cooperative manner when making lane changes.
• Active Emergency Stop Assist brakes the vehicle to a standstill in its lane if it detects that the driver is no longer actively driving the vehicle while it is on the move with Active Steering Assist engaged.
• Active Parking Assist The driver is also able to see at a glance which assistance functions have been selected, and which situations the systems are reacting to at the given moment. Icons – for example, a steering wheel with hands on both sides – give information both on the screen and in the Head Up Display. All functions can now be controlled from the new steering wheel.

Dr. Michael Hafner, Head of Automated Driving and Active Safety at Mercedes-Benz, commented:

The new S-Class raises Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive to the next level. We are approaching the goal of automated driving more purposefully and faster than many people suspect. The new S-Class will be able to support its driver considerably better than all systems that have been available to date.