Mercedes-Benz has been all about showing off what it can do with respect to electric vehicles and software lately.<\/p>\n
The German carmaker announced last month that one of its EV prototypes drove more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) on a charge, breaking a range barrier that long seemed elusive for a four-seat sedan. After years of criticism for being late to go electric, the manufacturer stepped up its game last year with the launch of its battery-powered flagship, the EQS.<\/p>\n
Then in December, Mercedes became the first automaker to win approval to deploy a hands-free driving system in Germany, pulling ahead in the race to offer higher levels of automation in one of the world\u2019s most competitive car markets.<\/p>\n
The announcements are part of CEO Ola Kallenius\u2019s attempt to seize some technology limelight from Tesla and transform the storied manufacturer into an EV leader.<\/p>\n
I caught a glimpse of these efforts last week when Mercedes presented its hands-free driving offering in Berlin. Dubbed Drive Pilot, the system is capable of Level 3 automated driving, a notch higher than Tesla\u2019s Autopilot. Drive Pilot will go on sale next week as an option for S-Class and EQS models at a cost of 5,000 euros ($5,270) and 7,430 euros, respectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a big step for us and for automated driving in general,\u201d said Florian Kunkel, a Mercedes development engineer who accompanied me on my test drive through the German capital. \u201cIt\u2019s our moon landing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tesla\u2019s Autopilot and $12,000 \u201cFull-Self Driving\u201d features, which consumers are beta-testing in the US and Canada, require drivers to be fully attentive and keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Mercedes\u2019s Drive Pilot takes over completely in certain scenarios, allowing the person behind the wheel to stop paying attention to the road and instead answer emails, read a book or watch a movie.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will get the ultimate gift back, which is time,\u201d Kallenius said Monday during the Financial Times Future of the Car summit.<\/p>\n
Before we took off in a black S-Class, Kunkel walked around the car to show me the cameras as well as the radar, lidar, ultrasound and moisture sensors that allow the machine to take over. Vehicles equipped with Drive Pilot have built-in redundancies to ensure components ranging from the sensors and battery to the steering motor keep working safely.<\/p>\n
Still, the system has its limitations. It\u2019s only approved for stretches of Germany\u2019s Autobahn highway network at a speed of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour, meaning it\u2019s largely limited to handling slow-moving traffic jams. Lane changes aren\u2019t allowed and the software usually doesn\u2019t work in tunnels.<\/p>\n
Drivers must remain awake and able to retake the wheel if the system alerts them to do so, and Mercedes doesn\u2019t recommend holding devices like a tablet or laptop between your body and the airbags.<\/p>\n
Soon after we reached Berlin\u2019s busy city Autobahn, we ran into heavy traffic, so I pushed a button on the inside of the steering wheel to hand over driving to the software. I was surprised how smooth it handled braking and accelerating. After a minute of talking to Kunkel next to me, I stopped paying attention to the traffic \u2014 and it didn\u2019t feel awkward at all.<\/p>\n
When we approached a stretch of highway with a lot of tunnels, the software pinged me to take over.<\/p>\n
Mercedes is working on getting Drive Pilot approved elsewhere in Europe and the US. Company officials expect regulators to eventually allow the system to operate at faster speeds and on roads beyond just the Autobahn.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve only taken the first baby steps,\u201d Kallenius said. \u201cI think this will be one of the most exciting developments in the auto industry in this decade.\u201d<\/p>\n