Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot now works at speed up to 95 km/h
Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to launch an upgraded version of its Drive Pilot system. The new version of its autonomous driving solution promises a top speed of 59 mph on German motorways, making it the fastest Level 3 automated driving system in a production vehicle.
Markus Schäfer, the Chief Technology Officer at Mercedes-Benz, expressed his enthusiasm about this development: "With this upgraded Drive Pilot version, Mercedes-Benz is again underlining its pioneering role in automated driving. It will soon be possible to activate conditionally automated driving up to 95 km/h in flowing traffic under certain conditions on the German motorway."
The increased speed limit significantly expands the potential applications of Drive Pilot. Drivers will be able to delegate the driving task to the system in even more scenarios, allowing them to focus on secondary activities like working or enjoying entertainment options.
The updated Drive Pilot is expected to hit the market in early 2025, following the necessary re-certification by Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority. Existing Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot customers will receive this upgrade free of charge, either through an over-the-air update or a workshop visit.
The new Drive Pilot employs a redundant system architecture, meaning that crucial functions like steering and braking have backups in case of a primary system failure. A sophisticated network of cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR continuously monitor the vehicle's surroundings. A high-precision positioning system ensures the vehicle's location is known with centimeter accuracy.
Despite this significant leap forward, Mercedes-Benz isn't resting on its laurels just yet. The company is actively working towards even faster speeds and longer handover times in the future. They aim to achieve the current legal limit of 81 mph for conditionally automated driving in Germany by the end of the decade.
Mercedes has developed special turquoise marker lights to signal to other road users when the automated driving function is active. Although these lights are currently only permitted in Nevada and California, Mercedes-Benz wants to adapt its system architecture to comply with evolving standards.
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