Mercedes-Benz has received permits in California and Nevada to use turquoise exterior marker lights for its Drive Pilot feature in an effort to provide greater public understanding and awareness of self-driving technology.
In California, the permit is for testing turquoise-colored marker lights for automated driving on the freeway, while the Nevada permit allows production vehicles to be equipped with the marker lights, beginning with the 2026 EQS and S-Class Drive Pilot-equipped vehicles. The California permit is valid for two years, while the Nevada permit will remain until a statutory modification is reached with the state legislature.
Better Public Understanding
As Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) described in a press release, both permits help the automaker develop essential insights into the interactions between automated vehicles and other road users. Mercedes-Benz notes that since the exterior marker lights can indicate whether or not a car is operating autonomously, it can help the public have a better understanding and acceptance of the technology, in addition to boosting overall road safety. The exterior marker lights can also assist law enforcement with their duties on the road.
Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker as of late 2023 to receive such approvals in the United States.
“With the development of automated driving marker lights, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting new industry standards,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, Development & Purchasing. “The more automated driving vehicles populate the road, the more important communication and interaction between the vehicle and the environment become.”
Importance of Turquoise
Designed per SAE J3134 Recommended Practice, the turquoise-colored marker lights for automated driving in California are integrated into the front and rear lights and the two outside mirrors of Mercedes-Benz test vehicles (as seen in the photo gallery above).
Mercedes-Benz picked turquoise since it is noticeably different from other colors ubiquitous to vehicles and traffic signage, like red and orange. There is less confusion with turquoise when another road user spots the color on a nearby car. In essence, that road user, like a pedestrian or cyclist, will know the vehicle they are seeing is operating in an automated mode.
In its press release detailing the announcement, Mercedes-Benz again noted SAE J3134, adding that the development and approval of the new lighting concept involved the collaborative efforts of an interdisciplinary team of engineers, compliance managers, data protection experts, and ethics experts.
“Mercedes-Benz is committed to standardizing the color turquoise with the intention to visualize the automated driving state, fostering global understanding and acceptance for this technology,” the automaker said in a statement. “So far, there is no general framework in the U.S., China, or the UN-ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) for using turquoise lights in production vehicles. California and Nevada have taken the first important step with the now-granted exemptions.”
Drive Pilot Availability
Drive Pilot comprises sensor technology Mercedes-Benz considers indispensable. For Mercedes-Benz, this includes LiDAR, a moisture sensor in the wheel well, and a rear-window camera and microphones designed to detect blue lights and other emergency vehicles.
The system is controlled via buttons on the steering wheel (on the left and right above the thumb recesses). When activated, Drive Pilot controls the speed and distance to other cars ahead while keeping the vehicle in its intended lane. The route profile, traffic signage, and road geometry are each accounted for, as are unexpected situations. According to Mercedes-Benz, Drive Pilot can initiate evasive maneuvers within the lane or apply the brakes if necessary.
Drive Pilot received certification in Germany in 2021, with Nevada and California following in 2023. The Drive Pilot feature, described by Mercedes-Benz as the first and only certified system for conditionally automated driving (SAE-Level 3) in the U.S., has been available in Germany as of 2022.
Meanwhile, Drive Pilot will be available in the U.S. market (i.e. California and Nevada) as an option for the 2024 S-Class and EQS Sedan through participating and authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers in those states.
