With the approval of its level 3 autonomous driving in the State of Nevada and California, Mercedes becomes the first manufacturer to be able to use this technology on the roads of the United States. Thus, the German brand is once again ahead of Tesla, La
If autonomous driving has been in the pipeline of many manufacturers for many years, everything seems to have accelerated recently. And for good reason, the technology has evolved significantly, with the arrival of new, more efficient sensors such as LiDAR, adopted by several brands such as Volvo and its EX90. All, except Ford who threw in the towel, then fought a fierce battle to offer the most advanced level of autonomy on the market. And for now, it is a European manufacturer that wins the prize.
A new endorsement
This is Mercedes, which currently offers Level 3 autonomous driving on two of its models, the EQS and S-Class capping the range. The latter is currently the most efficient available on a series model, thus making it possible to let the car drive on its own, without needing to touch the steering wheel. However, it is necessary to be able to take over the controls if necessary.
Today, this technology has been authorized on European roads since July 2022. France will have taken a little longer to approve it, since the decision was taken on September 1st. But this system can only be used in certain conditions, on roads inaccessible to pedestrians and cyclists, and equipped with a central reservation. In addition, the speed is limited to 60 km/h.
But if you can therefore drive hands-free on the Old Continent (but only in Germany in the case of Mercedes), this is also the case in the United States. Indeed, and as a press release relates, Mercedes has just announced during the CES in Las Vegas which is currently being held that its Tier 3 technology has been approved in Nevada and California. Thus, the brand with the star becomes the first to receive this approval in the United States, then ahead of Tesla.
Indeed, Elon Musk’s firm does offer autonomous driving technology, known as FSD (full self-driving), but it is still in the beta-testing phase, approved as a simple level system. 2, combining adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistant, without using LiDAR unlike Mercedes.
Note, however, that in fact, the Mercedes Drive Pilot is much less advanced than the Tesla FSD. The latter could be, technically, considered as a level 3 or even 4 autonomous driving.
Some limits and a very practical function
This Drive Pilot system, also offered as an option in Germany, can therefore be used under certain conditions, identical to those for Europe. That is to say only on the highway, at a speed of 60 km/h. This is the maximum for which the device has been approved, even though Germany now authorizes use up to 130 km / h since January 1. The brand has not announced a date for a possible update.
Mercedes also took advantage of the CES to announce the arrival of a new feature in its range: automatic lane change. When the cruise control is activated, the car is then able to overtake another vehicle on its own and then get back into its lane, respecting the safety distances. Used with on-board navigation, this technology also makes it possible to take an exit ramp or spur between two highways without driver intervention.
Autopilot navigation in France – spring 2021 pic.twitter.com/8SzZm8Mqr4
— Bob Jouy (@bobjouy) March 24, 2021
However, this functionality is not new, since Tesla already offers it with its Level 2 Autopilot in the United States, before the FSD. In France, only the Mercedes EQS and S-Class will be able to benefit from it, since this system is not authorized below level 3. However, a few years ago, the American brand did indeed offer this functionality on the Old Continent. as can be seen in our editor Bob’s video above, before facing a reprimand from the German government.
For comparison, Tesla’s FSD autonomous driving can be used on any road in the United States, and is therefore much less limited than the Mercedes system as can be seen in the video below. In the event of an accident, at Tesla, it is the driver who will be responsible. With the Mercedes system, the responsibility is delegated to the car, and therefore to the manufacturer. A size difference that shows the two different philosophies of Mercedes and Tesla.
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