- Mercedes is raising the top speed of its Drive Pilot Level 3 self-driving system
- In the U.S., Drive Pilot operates on select highways in California and Nevada
- Mercedes is already developing a more advanced Level 4 self-driving system
Mercedes-Benz has raised the top speed of its Drive Pilot self-driving system from 40 mph to 59 mph, though only in Germany for now.
The automaker is still awaiting approval from Germany's transport authority, but expects the latest version of the Level 3 self-driving system to be legal on the country's roads by 2025.
Existing owners of Mercedes vehicles with Drive Pilot will be able to upgrade their systems to take advantage of the higher top speed. Mercedes said the upgrade will be offered free of charge.
In the U.S., Drive Pilot only functions on select highways in California and Nevada, and during our test of the system last year, Mercedes said the U.S. will get a version with a top speed of 55 mph, though timing is uncertain. Drive Pilot is currently offered here in the S-Class and EQS, and with a speed limit of 40 mph.
Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot Level 3 self-driving system
A system rated at Level 3 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability is able to operate on its own without monitoring, though only for short periods and within set conditions. In addition to only functioning on select highways, Drive Pilot also requires a lead car to follow. The new high-speed version has the added condition of only functioning in the right lane of a highway.
The sensor suite for Drive Pilot includes cameras, radar units, ultrasonic sensors, and a lidar unit, as well as a high-precision positioning system and access to continuously updated HD maps.
Mercedes eventually plans to lift the top speed of Drive Pilot to 80 mph, which is the current legal limit for Level 3 self-driving systems in Germany. The automaker said it expects to reach this milestone by the end of the decade.
Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot
Mercedes is also looking to introduce turquoise-colored marker lights to indicate when a vehicle is operating in self-driving mode. California and Nevada have already granted exemptions for this feature.
The automaker is also working on a more advanced Level 4 self-driving system. This would enable a vehicle to operate on its own within set conditions, albeit for extended periods. The end goal is a Level 5 system, which would be able to operate at the same level as a human driver.
