on level 3.
German transport authorities have approved the vehicle, and Mercedes-Benz is thus paving the way for offering such a system internationally, provided that national law allows it. A special DRIVE PILOT system will be available for the S-Class and EQS in the first half of 2022 in Germany.
– Once again, Mercedes-Benz is a pioneer of future technology and the first car manufacturer in the world to offer approved level three autonomous driving. This means that the car can drive fully and completely even in extreme conditions, with the presence of a driver. For now, the approval only applies to Germany, but we hope that similar regulations will eventually be able to come into force life also in Norway – says Vice President Kjetil Myhre at Mercedes-Benz Norway.
DRIVE PILOT
When the DRIVE PILOT function is active, the driver can perform additional activities such as reading e-mails, surfing the Internet or watching a movie in a relaxing way. In DRIVE PILOT mode, applications can also be activated on the vehicle's integrated multimedia screen, which locks the pilot while driving when the drive function is turned off.
After switching on the DRIVE PILOT, the car will be able to drive autonomously at speeds of up to 60 km / h in heavy traffic or on relevant sections of motorways in Germany. The system activation buttons are located above the thumb indentations on the left and right handlebars. When the driver presses them, the system controls speed and distance and steers the vehicle along the lane. The system also reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently, for example during lane avoidance maneuvers.
Safety is a top priority and if the driver is unable to regain control, for example due to a serious health problem, the system brakes the vehicle in a controlled manner to a stop. At the same time, the warning lights come on, and when the vehicle stops, the Mercedes-Benz emergency phone is activated and the doors and windows are unlocked. Thanks to this, all passers-by have easy access be able to provide first aid.
Comprehensive sensors including LiDAR, humidity sensors and microphones
DRIVE PILOT is based on the environmental sensors of the driving assistance package and also includes LiDAR, sensors humidity in the wheel arches, rear window camera and microphones. The latter is especially important when detecting blue lights and sound signals from emergency vehicles.
In addition to sensor data, the DRIVE PILOT receives information about road geometry, route profile, road signs and road events such as accidents and road works from a digital HD map. The exact position of the car is determined using a highly accurate positioning system that is much more powerful than conventional GPS systems. Satellite navigation data is matched with sensor data and HD map data.
HD Map provides a three-dimensional image of the street and surroundings, and the map data is constantly stored and updated. Each vehicle also stores an image of this information on a map on board and constantly compares it with the back office data. Thanks to this, the HD map ensures stable positioning by presenting the surroundings, regardless of, among others, shadow effects or dirty sensor. A high-precision map differs from other navigation charts, among other things, in measuring accuracy in centimeters instead of meters.
Initially offered on 13 km of motorways in Germany.
Mercedes-Benz initially offers the DRIVE PILOT on 13 km of motorway in Germany. Extensive testing of the system is already underway in both the US and China. As soon as there is a national legal framework for Level 191 conditional autonomous driving in additional markets, the technology will be implemented step by step.
