Self-driving—or autonomous—cars are something that just a few short years ago seemed like they were straight out of science fiction or The Jetsons. These days, however, it is becoming more common than ever with some of the simpler forms of this autonomous technology—like lane assist or adaptive cruise control—practically standard on vehicles today. Unlike lane assist, however, Mercedes-Benz’s new Drive Pilot system is on another level altogether.
The Levels of Autonomous Driving and What They Mean
In the grand scheme of things, there are 6 different levels (0-5) of driving automation as outlined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), with level 0 being your 1965 Volkswagen Beetle that comes with zero bells or whistles, and levels 1 and 2 encompassing the type of autonomous technology found in many cars today which will brake and steer under certain circumstances, but which still requires an alert driver behind the wheel to take over if needed.
Levels 3 and above are largely still in the experimental stages, with no vehicles currently available in the American market having level 3 or above automation. If you are in Germany, however, you are in luck. Mercedes’ Drive Pilot falls under that level 3 automation, and is now available on their new EQS and S-Class models. And Drive Pilot is a fascinating piece of technology.
Always in Traffic on the Autobahn? Drive Pilot is for You
The frustrating part about being here at the ongoing development of self-driving technology is the limitation of what is currently available. Drive Pilot is an incredible piece of technology that can allow you to do something else when you are stuck in stop-and-go traffic on the highway. But it can only be used on a specifically mapped highway—in this case the Autobahn—when it’s not raining. And you aren’t going through a tunnel. Or in a construction zone. Or going any faster than 37 mph. If Drive Pilot is on and you are watching YouTube videos on your phone and the traffic speeds up past 37mph or it starts to rain or you head into a tunnel, your Merc will let you know that you have to pay attention now. And if the sensors detect that you are still watching that Top Gear clip show instead of paying attention to the road, it will automatically slow the car to a stop while placing its hazard lights on.
Though you don’t need to pay attention when Drive Pilot is on, it will yell at you if you close your eyes for too long—no sleeping—and you can’t move your seat back too far away from the pedals or lean it back too far so you are always within reach of the pedals and steering wheel if you need to take over. It’s always watching, both inside and out.
There’s a Ton of Technology Keeping You Safe On the Road
A whole host of sensors are making sure that your car is where its supposed to be at all times. There is radar, lidar (radar but with lasers), an external 3-D camera, short distance ultrasound, a moisture detector, and these are just whats outside the car. There is also the camera that makes sure you aren’t asleep inside the car, and hyper precise GPS positioning system that makes absolutely sure that your car isn’t near any of those construction zones or tunnels.
The combination makes sure you are in your lane, going the speed you are supposed to be going, aren’t too close to any other car, aren’t asleep behind the wheel, and aren’t near anything else that would make a robot driving a car overly dangerous.
Drive Pilot is the Next Step in Self-Driving Technology
Though it may be a long time in coming to have Drive Pilot be widely available in the US—the entire 8200 mile Autobahn system that was mapped is a fraction of a fraction of the amount of interstate highway miles that cross the US—it is incredible to see this technology actually advance enough to be used in a real-life driving scenario. Though the cost for the upgrade isn’t cheap—$7726 for the EQS and $5199 for the S-Class—if you are regularly creeping along in traffic on your commute, it may be more than worth it.
