Mercedes launches world's "most advanced" self-driving car

[Express]

Mercedes launches world's "most advanced" self-driving car


Manufacturer claims the new E-Class offers "unmatched" levels of autonomy.


David McCowen
11 January 2016



New cars for 2016: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Photo: Supplied


Mercedes-Benz has issued a challenge to key rivals by claiming its new E-Class sedan is the world's most advanced car.

Set to be unveiled at the 2016 Detroit motor show on Monday, the new E-Class is the closest the German brand has come to offering a completely self-driving car.


The new E-Class is the only car allowed to take part in Nevada's autonomous vehicle trials without hardware modifications. Photo: Supplied


Many car companies offer cars with sophisticated driver aids that can apply brakes in an emergency or apply a mild degree of steering input to cars in danger of wandering out of their lane. The new E-Class builds on existing tech by adding the ability to steer itself around hazardous obstacles, as well as easily driving itself within its lane in many conditions ranging from stop-start traffic to high-speed motorway journeys.

The E-Class also features remote-parking and active lane changing features first debuted by BMW and Tesla. Drivers of the new car will be able to change lanes without touching the steering wheel – a simple brush of the indicator switch tells the car that it's time to change lanes, something it will then do with the aid of sophisticated sensors.

But that technology – along with a feature that allows drivers to exit the car before the vehicle parks itself – may not be active when the car arrives locally in June.

Australian laws require drivers to remain in control of their cars at all times, a condition that has become a grey area as autonomous driving features creep into new vehicles. For that reason, BMW has dumbed down smarter elements of its latest 7-Series sedan until it fully complies with local laws.

In any case, Mercedes-Benz has adopted bold language surrounding the E-Class, openly claiming it is "the most advanced production vehicle in the world", with an "unmatched" level of autonomy.

While many marques including Audi, BMW, Volvo and Tesla are working hard to offer fully autonomous cars to customers, Mercedes-Benz chair Dieter Zetsche says his brand will lead the way.

"For Mercedes, as the inventor of the automobile, it was always clear that the next great revolution in mobility would be the self-driving car," Zetsche said.

"People have been dreaming of self-driving cars since the 1950s. We at Mercedes were the ones who once turned the vision of mobility without a horse into reality. Now it's time for us to offer the possibility of managing without a driver as well."

"This technology will give every occupant of a vehicle completely new opportunities to make use of valuable time."

Mercedes first fully autonomous car trial on public roads took place in 2013, when a self-driving S-Class replicated an important journey conducted in 1888 by Bertha Benz, the wife of automobile inventor Karl Benz.

While Mercedes has stopped short of advertising the new E-Class as a fully autonomous vehicle, the company says driving has become an optional, rather than mandatory element of four-wheeled transport.

"The driver only needs to steer – assuming they wish to do so - on a temporary basis," the brand says. "The traffic lane and speed are regulated, while the vehicle reacts to speed limits and to the traffic around it."

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/m...09-gm2lwf.html

[mik]

Totally computer operated transport, it scares the crap out of me .

[Carrion]

If I got my self a Mercedes I would want to drive it.

[Boosh Brus]

Originally Posted by mik

Totally computer operated transport, it scares the crap out of me .

Sydney drivers scare me more.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Boosh Brus

Sydney drivers scare me more.

I'll call your Sydney drivers and raise you Adelaide. Try driving round Adelaide for a few days and see if you still think Sydney drivers are scary.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I'll call your Sydney drivers and raise you Adelaide. Try driving round Adelaide for a few days and see if you still think Sydney drivers are scary.

I disagree actually. I found Adelaide drivers to be very cautious and metered in how they drive, I wonder if it has to do the the many, many dozens of speed cameras they have???

[marty351]

Forget automated cars, the computer has to fail before anything really bad happens, it's Camry drivers that scare me the most.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Carrion

If I got my self a Mercedes I would want to drive it.

+1. This tech would be more fitting in a Toyota or a Hyundai, as these cars are devoid of driving pleasure.

[mik]

Originally Posted by marty351

Forget automated cars, the computer has to fail before anything really bad happens, it's Camry drivers that scare me the most.

Nah camry drivers arent too bad , its the other brand that is scary, every single day in Melbourne anyway .......... if there is a (rhymes with anka) committing a stupid driving maneuver ........ it is normally the one brand more common than any other , not just the fact there is a lot of them
(cars ) on the road , there just seems to be a greater percentage of tool drivers per that brand car driven without any doubt.
i wont name the car model/brand , but its not hard to work out.

[marty351]

Some Camry drivers aren't too bad, but twice already today, I've been delayed by Camry's, one who decides to turn right in a left turn only lane, blocking myself and others from a green light while waiting for right turn traffic to open a gap, me copping the red light.

Automated cars wouldn't do this.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by marty351

Forget automated cars, the computer has to fail before anything really bad happens, it's Camry drivers that scare me the most.

Just Toyota drivers in general, for me at least.
Anytime we're held up, check the front of the queue, it'll be a Corolla, Camry or Kluger.

Right lane held up on freeway, same as above but with the addition of a RAV4 or a Hilux.

Waiting at an intersection to clear, always last car, trundling along, as above.

It may be that Toyota's are popular and driven by a certain type of person but for me, the majority of the problems are Toyotas.
So, logic (if any) from that would be, the sooner Toyota automate their drivers, the better.

[marty351]

Kluger and Hilux drivers are (to me) the more aggressive drivers. Especially tradies in 4x4 Hiluxes, they always have to be in front. Automated cars would suit those currently displaying disabled parking permits best.

[Ben73]

I saw a video today of a Tesla parking itself in a garage. It took 1 minute 17 seconds.
You could of done it yourself in 17 seconds.

I also agree with Toyota drivers are useless sentiment. Usually a Corolla or a Camry. When you see a Corolla making a right hand turn, you can almost guarantee they will swing the wheel left into the straight ahead lane just before making the right hand turn. They must be a beast form the inside, they are also usually the ones lane sharing when making left hand turns.

[TheInterceptor]

Gone are the days when technological advances were something to look forward to! 4v per cyl, automatic chokes, 5 speed manuals and a 4sp automatic, waiting on the arrival of new and exciting car models etc now all we have to look forward to are more fwd city cars, Suv's and self driving cars.

Kill it with fire!

[Dave R]

the company says driving has become an optional, rather than mandatory element of four-wheeled transport

This sounds so ridiculous to me. But I'm sure it will be the norm in 20 years from now. Maybe we will finally see sensible gaps between cars on the highway. Unless they include a tailgating mode, so your car can drive like a douche on your behalf. I can see it being standard on BMWs, they have a rep to uphold.