According to the German carmaker, the semi-autonomous driving system can drive in heavy traffic or congested road conditions.
Germany’s transport authority has allowed luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz to use its Level 3 (L3) semi-autonomous driving system.
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According to the German carmaker, the semi-autonomous driving system can drive in heavy traffic or congested road conditions. The company has used LiDAR-based technology to develop its self-driving system.
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The self-drive feature will be first made available on its S-Class cars in the first half of 2022. Mercedes’ L3 mode can initially be used on 13,191 km of motorways in Germany.
A camera and microphone are installed on the rear window of the vehicle, as well as a wetness sensor attached to the wheel. It also receives data on road geometry, route profile, traffic signs and unusual traffic incidents through digital HD maps.
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Once the system is activated, it can control speed and distance, and keep the vehicle within the lane. It can also react to unexpected traffic situations and handle them independently, the company noted.
If the self-drive system fails, the driver can take back control using the car’s ‘redundancy’ option. And, if the driver is unable to take back control, the system can apply the brakes to stop the vehicle.
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A vehicle with Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) L3 capabilities can handle some driving tasks, providing a hands-free experience, however, a driver is still needed. The driver must be prepared to take control of the vehicle at all times when the vehicle is prompted to intervene.
According to Mercedes, extensive testing campaigns are already underway for the system in countries such as the US and China. Once there is a national legal framework for conditional automated operations in additional markets, the technology will be rolled out in a phased manner.
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