Mercedes brings their newest Level 3 Drive Pilot autonomous driving system to the US, here’s what it’s like to be at the wheel of a car that drives itself.
Along California’s Interstate 10, the Drive Pilot-equipped Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan effortlessly navigated through rush hour traffic without a hiccup. This new system can control every aspect of driving without human interference. Mercedes-Benz engineer Lucas Bolster, a passenger on this autonomous journey, assured the self-driving Mercedes car had it all under control, and it was apparently true.
Using state-of-the-art tech such as Ultrasonic sensors, LiDAR, a litany of cameras and microphones, and an HD map, the EQS can receive up-to-date information regarding the drive faster than a human driver could. Things like road layout, traffic signs, and traffic events such as accidents and slow-downs were handled thanks to the aforementioned list of tech. If an event requiring your attention occurs, the car will light up its instrument panel with red lights and sound an alarm alerting you to the event. The seatbelt will also tighten, making the call to action impossible to ignore. If you ignore these signals for more than 10 seconds, the car will automatically alert the proper authorities.
This new Level 3 autonomous driving is currently unique to Mercedes-Benz, with the German automaker being the only manufacturer to hold governmental approval to be able to be used on American roadways. By early 2024, Mercedes EQS and S-Class sedans will have the Level 3 Drive Pilot system installed. According to an instructional video by Mercedes, its primary function is to “give you back time in a freeway traffic jam.”
The Drive Pilot system is much more polite and refined than its human driver counterparts, nary an agitated honk or annoyed lane change is seen, just perfectly executed lane changes and courteous following distances.
However, is the push for autonomous driving overblown? According to an ABC News interview featuring Phil Koopman, professor at Carnegie Mellon University, carmakers “dramatically overstate that humans are bad drivers to sell car technology. Just eight to nine percent of vehicle fatalities are caused by distracted driving.” He went on to explain there are too many important factors to be considered before technology such as this Level 3 Drive Pilot system should see mass-market deployment.
Mercedes-Benz is aware of the criticisms and has hired many experts involved in fields such as tech, legal, ethical, and safety. The German automaker has been at the forefront of autonomous driver technology, being the first to introduce Level 1 and Level 2 systems, as well as the current Level 3. Once rolled out, the Drive Pilot system will cost users $2,500 for a subscription.
While currently in use in its native Germany, only California and Nevada have approved the Level 3 system for use on roads currently. Do you think you’ll want to try the self driving Mercedes car for yourself?
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