The Mercedes‑Benz DRIVE PILOT system for SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving has received certification from California authorities. It is the first SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving system approved in California for standard-production vehicles. News of the California certification for DRIVE PILOT comes on the heels of Mercedes-Benz receiving a similar certification from the State of Nevada in January 2023. According to Mercedes-Benz, DRIVE PILOT will be available in the U.S. market as an option for the 2024 S-Class and EQS Sedan, with the first cars delivered to customers in late 2023.
“Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT is the world’s only SAE Level 3 system with internationally valid type approval,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG. “DRIVE PILOT uses a highly sophisticated vehicle architecture based on redundancy with a multitude of sensors enabling comfortable and safe conditionally automated driving.”
How DRIVE PILOT Works
As described by Mercedes-Benz, during a conditionally automated journey, DRIVE PILOT allows the driver to partake in certain but legal secondary activities. Within the vehicle specifically, some features of the center touchscreen are enabled that would otherwise be locked when DRIVE PILOT is engaged. “On suitable freeway sections and where there is high traffic density, DRIVE PILOT can offer to take over the dynamic driving task, up to speeds of 40 mph,” Mercedes-Benz said in a press release, adding that the automaker is focused on SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving at speeds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h) for the final iteration of DRIVE PILOT.
Mercedes-Benz describes the basic operation of DRIVE PILOT in three summarized steps:
- Availability: The system indicates availability via the steering wheel control buttons.
- Activation: When activated, DRIVE PILOT controls the speed and distance while keeping the vehicle in its intended lane. The overall route profile, including traffic signs, are taken into account once the system is active.
- Reaction: The system is designed to react to unexpected situations by initiating evasive or braking maneuvers within the lane.
If a situation arises where a driver is unable to take back control of the vehicle for any reason, DRIVE PILOT will engage the brakes and bring the car to a stop with the hazard lights flashing. Meanwhile, the emergency call system will alert first responders and unlock the doors.
DRIVE PILOT Redundancy
With the California and Nevada certifications, Mercedes-Benz took the opportunity to underscore the importance of redundancy. The automaker said using additional sensors for DRIVE PILOT, including LiDAR, a rear-window camera, microphones for detecting emergency vehicles, and wheel well road wetness sensors are “indispensable” for safe conditionally automated driving. The DRIVE PILOT system also has redundant steering and braking actuators and a redundant electrical system, meaning the vehicle is still maneuverable if one of these systems fails, and a safe handover to the driver can be enacted. “The certification by the authorities in California and in Nevada once again confirms that redundancy is the safe and thus the right approach,” Schäfer said.
