On December 16, 2023, Mercedes-Benz became one of the first car manufacturers to receive permission to test your level 3 autonomous vehicles on the highways of Beijing district. The German company is actively working with relevant Chinese authorities to develop Level 3 autonomous driving systems for China to provide Chinese customers with safe and reliable automated driving.

“As a leader in automated driving technology, Mercedes-Benz is committed to providing the best customer experience around the world. After the introduction of our Drive Pilot in Germany and the USA, the trial license in Beijing is the next important step in preparing conditional automated driving on Chinese roads. We will put all of our global expertise at the service of the local R&D team to design a safe and reliable system.”– said Markus Schäfer, Head of Technology, Development and Procurement, Mercedes-Benz Group.

Mercedes: focus on the third-level autonomous driving system

THE Drive Pilot system Level 3 autonomous driving uses the Driving Assistance Pack sensors, as well as additional sensors: a LiDAR sensor, an advanced stereo camera on the windshield, a universal camera on the rear window, microphones, as well as a humidity sensor located in the front fenders. S-Class and EQS equipped with the Drive Pilot option have back-up systems for steering, braking and on-board electrical systems to maintain control even if one of these elements fails.

During the session automated driving, the Drive Pilot system allows the driver to focus on certain secondary activities, such as work, browsing the web or relaxing while watching a movie. Mercedes-Benz launched Drive Pilot in Germany on the S-Class and EQS Sedan in 2022, while the system is undergoing road tests in the United States, with the EQS fleet operating in California and Nevada. In these states, deliveries of the first EQS and S-Class equipped with Drive Pilot are expected in early 2024.

By the end of the decade, Mercedes wants to expand its Drive Pilot system on highways up to 130 km/h. Meanwhile, in Germany, the next step will be a system capable of traveling at 90 km/h while following the car ahead on German motorways.

The models are adapted to the Chinese market

In China, Mercedes has a local research and development team, which allows it to work with local partners and adapt to local regulations to develop products that are suitable for Chinese customers. Starting in 2021, Mercedes is conducting field tests and validation in China to improve the performance of its Level 3 autonomous driving system.

In recent years, Mercedes-Benz has established new R&D centers in Beijing and Shanghai in 2021 and 2022, respectively, while expanding extensive collaborations with local partners, such as more than a decade of joint sustainable mobility research with Tsinghua University. By the end of 2023, Mercedes’ research and development group in China is expected to have 2000 employees.

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