Mercedes introduced its Level 3 driving assistance system called Drive Pilot in the United States, making it the first Level 3 system in the country. Here are the basic details about Drive Pilot in the US:
Availability: Drive Pilot will initially be available in California and Nevada, primarily on freeways and in major cities such as Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Diego and Las Vegas.
Vehicle Models: The first equipped with Drive Pilot Mercedes EQS And S-Class models will arrive by the end of the year, with more models joining the system in early 2024.
Subscription Service: Drive Pilot is a subscription-based service and customers will be able to purchase it with the best vehicle configurations. The subscription fee for the first year will be €2,300 and further pricing details will be announced later.
Opt Out Option: Because Drive Pilot availability is location-dependent, customers who move to a state where Drive Pilot is not yet available will have the option to opt out of the service.
Limitations: Drive Pilot is designed to operate at speeds of up to 64 km/h and this limit can be increased to 70 km/h once regulatory approvals are obtained.
Level 3 Autonomy: Level 3 autonomy means the system can fully control the vehicle and the driver only needs to intervene when necessary. This represents a significant advance in autonomous driving technology.
Entertainment Options: While Drive Pilot is active, drivers can enjoy activities such as watching YouTube videos or playing mini games and enhance the driving experience.
Mercedes’ Drive Pilot had previously operated in Germany, and the company even took legal responsibility if an accident occurred while Drive Pilot was active. This expansion into the US market puts Mercedes ahead of some of its rivals in terms of advanced driver assistance systems. For example, Tesla’s Autopilot system is currently rated Level 2, and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is rated Level 2+ by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level 3 autonomy represents a significant step toward fully autonomous driving, and Mercedes’ Drive Pilot system is among the leading systems offering this level of capability to U.S. consumers, although there are certain conditions and limitations.