Mercedes Drive Pilot

2021: Mercedes-Benz was the first in the world to certify a Level 3 autopilot

On December 11, 2021, Mercedes-Benz became the first car company in the world to fulfill the necessary requirements for approving a level 3 autonomous driving system. The certificate was issued by UN-R157, the regulatory body of the United Nations, which sets the standard for third-level autonomous driving technology in vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz said that an automated driving technology called Drive Pilot will be available in S-class and EQS models in the first half of 2022. Owners of these cars will be able to drive in conditionally automated mode at a speed of 60 km/h. Special Drive Pilot equipment will remove the load from the driver and allow him to deal with secondary tasks on the central display, such as online purchases or e-mail processing in the car, the automaker added.

Mercedes-Benz was the first in the world to certify an autopilot of the 3rd level

The system works with Driving Assistance Package surround sound sensors, as well as additional elements that the automaker considers necessary for safe autonomous driving. These include LiDAR, a camera in the rear window and microphones designed to detect blue lights, and other special sound signals from emergency vehicles. The system will receive information about road geometry, route profile, road signs and various road accidents, such as road works or accidents, using a digital HD quality map.

Marcus Shafer, board member of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, technical director responsible for development and procurement, said the company has worked to achieve the concept of automated driving, and now with this LiDAR-based system, the company is looking forward to providing customers with a new, unique experience.

With the approval of the authorities, we reached a breakthrough: we became the first manufacturer to introduce conditional-automated driving in Germany into mass production, "he said.

The automaker said that the Drive Pilot feature is available on a 13,191-kilometer highway in Germany, and also conducts extensive test drives of this system in countries such as the United States and China. As soon as the regions allow level 3 technology, the company will begin to introduce it.^[1]

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