Mercedes-Benz advances toward autonomous drive

By Redação AutoIndústria | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating one more step toward the 100% autonomous car. The German manufacturer was the first to obtain Level 3 SAE certification to use its Drive Pilot system in the United States, specifically in the state of Nevada.

The system will be available for the S-Class and EQS Sedan up to next December. Mercedes-Benz intends to expand the offer to California still this year. The Drive Pilot was initially liberated in Germany last May. Since then, the company has been working on its homologation in other markets to enable its internationalization.

According to a note released this Friday, 1/27, the system liberated in the USA is based on the Drive Assistance Package’s surround sensors and includes additional sensors such as the Lidar (light and range detector), a wheel humidity sensor, a rear window camera and microphone to detect emergency vehicles.

“The Drive Pilot also has redundant steering and braking actuators and a redundant integrated electric system, so it remains drivable even if one of these systems fails. If, despite this, the driver cannot take control of the vehicle, the system brakes until stopping the car while activating the emergency lights.

“As soon as it stops, the emergency call system is activated, and the doors unlocked to enable access to rescuers”, tell Mercedes-Benz’s note.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz