Mercedes First to Offer Level 3 Self-Driving
Trade magazine AVI and other sources are running this press release from Mercedes: Mercedes meets legal requirements for L3 driving on German roads:
Mercedes-Benz has become the first automotive company in the world to meet the legal requirements of UN-R157 for a Level 3 autonomous driving system. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has granted system approval to Mercedes based on UN-R157, thus paving the way for international rollout of the system, provided that national legislation allows it.
Germany has taken a pioneering role in legislating for autonomous driving, following its establishment of the Road Traffic Act (StVG) for Level 3 systems in 2017. Thanks to this, customers will be able to buy an S-Class saloon equipped with Mercedes Drive Pilot in the first half of 2022, enabling them to drive in conditionally automated mode at speeds of up to 60km/h in heavy traffic or congested situations on suitable stretches of motorway in Germany.
"For many years, we have been working to realize our vision of automated driving. With this lidar-based system, we have developed an innovative technology for our vehicles that offers customers a unique, luxurious driving experience and gives them what matters most: time. With the approval of the authorities, we have now achieved a breakthrough: We are the first manufacturer to put conditionally automated driving into series production in Germany," said Markus Schafer, member of the board of management of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, chief technology officer responsible for development and purchasing.
Despite ongoing claims of "full self driving" by Elon Musk, the Tesla system is still SAE Level 2, which requires operator supervision (although there are many documented cases where this was not done). There are some differences between the SAE Levels and the UN-R157 spec.
Also at Ars Technica.
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