California Approves Mercedes’ Hands-Free, Eyes-Off System, With Limits
By Sean Tucker 06/12/2023 9:25am
Owners of some Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be able to legally take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road under limited circumstances in California soon. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has approved the use of Mercedes’ Drive Pilot partial automation system on certain highways.
Related: Self-Driving Cars — Everything You Need to Know
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It is the first Level 3 driver assistance system approved for use anywhere in America, and this is its second approval. California’s decision follows a similar permit granted by Nevada in January.
What “Level 3” Autonomy Means
The automotive industry uses a system of five levels to describe its efforts to develop self-driving cars. SAE International, a global association of engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial-vehicle industries, developed the framework.
At Level 1, a single system can intervene to help keep the driver safe, but the driver must be in complete control of the car at all times. Automatic emergency braking, for instance, is a Level 1 system.
At the other end of the scale is Level 5 — theoretical fully autonomous cars that wouldn’t even require a steering wheel.
Almost every advanced system for sale today is a Level 2 system. That means it can assist the driver in steering, accelerating, or braking. The driver may be able to remove their hands from the wheel for short stretches, but they must keep their eyes on the road and be ready to take over anytime.
Mercedes, however, has received limited approval for the first Level 3 system. That means drivers can briefly take their eyes off their road. Mercedes says it works only under 40 mph.
Limited to Certain Highways, Daylight
The state of Nevada approved Drive Pilot on highways last year.
California has approved it for use “on highways during daylight at speeds not exceeding 40 miles per hour.” The permit is limited to “the Bay Area, Central Valley, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego,” the DMV says. The system is also permitted “on Interstate 15 connecting Southern California to Nevada.”
The system, Mercedes says, “allows the driver to take their mind off the traffic and focus on certain secondary activities,” though the company doesn’t specify what activities it considers safe. A recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety survey found that many users of Level 2 technologies admit to performing activities — like eating and checking emails — behind the wheel even though those systems aren’t supposed to allow that.
Mercedes: System Can Maneuver Around Hazards
Drive Pilot “reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently through evasive maneuvers within the lane or by braking maneuvers,” the company says.
Should the driver fail to respond to “increasingly urgent prompting” to take over, the system will bring the car to a stop, activate the hazard lights, call for help, and unlock the doors “to ensure the vehicle is accessible for first responders.”
Drive Pilot “will be available in the U.S. market as an option for model year 2024 Mercedes‑Benz S-Class and EQS Sedan models, with the first cars delivered to customers in late 2023,” the company says.