Germany is the only country in Europe where car owners with so-called Level 3 self-driving technology on board are allowed to take their hands off the wheel when stuck in traffic. Mercedes-Benz has equipped two new models with this technology.
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The only two cars that have this technology on board are the Mercedes S-Class and the Mercedes EQS with Drive Pilot. That’s the name of the Mercedes hardware and software system that allows the car to move up to a speed of 60 km/h on the highway while the driver does other things.
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Manufacturer is liable in the event of an accident with Drive Pilot
The system works on the basis of radar sensors, lasers, cameras and a highly accurate GPS. That goes much further than radar-controlled cruise control and Tesla also gets stuck at Level 2 with its Autopilot. Mercedes is therefore the first manufacturer with Level 3 certification. This represents a milestone, because at these speeds it is not the driver who is liable in the event of an accident, but the manufacturer.
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Only works under certain conditions
However, the driver must then comply with the rules. For example, he must always be ‘ready to take the wheel’ and the system only works under certain circumstances. You must drive on the highway during the day, stay in your lane, it must not rain and the outside temperature must not drop below four degrees. Work and tunnels longer than 50 meters are also taboo. The option costs in Germany 5950 for the S-Class and 8841 euros for the electric EQS.
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VMany car manufacturers have been working on cars that can drive completely independently for a long time, but before that happens, according to experts, we are years and perhaps decades further. Others think it will never come to that. Yet autonomous driving on the highway alone would be a huge benefit. In Great Britain, the highway code has also recently been adapted for autonomous driving, although you are not allowed to hold your phone there.
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