Mercedes-Benz’ DRIVE PILOT system for conditionally automated driving (SAE Degree 3) may be ordered in Germany from 17 Might as an non-obligatory further for the S-Class for €5,000 and for the EQS for €7,430 (Driver Help Bundle Plus: €2,430 and DRIVE PILOT: €5,000) excl. VAT. This makes Mercedes-Benz the primary automotive producer with a world legitimate certification for conditional automated driving to supply such a system as an choice ex-works for autos from sequence manufacturing.
DRIVE PILOT allows prospects handy the driving process over to the system below sure situations in heavy visitors or congestion conditions on appropriate motorway sections in Germany as much as a pace of 60 km/h (37 mph).
After activating DRIVE PILOT, the system controls the pace and distance, and guides the car inside its lane. The route profile, occasions occurring on the route and visitors indicators are all analysed and considered. DRIVE PILOT additionally reacts to surprising visitors conditions and handles them independently, e.g. by way of evasive manoeuvres throughout the lane or through the use of braking maneuvers.
Mercedes-Benz’s system for conditionally automated driving (SAE-Degree 3) builds on the car sensing expertise of the Driving Help Bundle and contains extra sensors that the producer considers indispensable for secure operation. These primarily embrace radar, LiDAR and cameras, however ultrasound and moisture sensors additionally present invaluable knowledge.
In parallel to the profitable launch of DRIVE PILOT in Germany, Mercedes-Benz goals to acquire regulatory sequence approval for the 2 US states of California and Nevada by the tip of the yr, offered the authorized state of affairs permits the system operation.
Mercedes-Benz is the primary producer to place a Degree 3 system with worldwide legitimate certification into sequence manufacturing. As a primary step, we’re providing this world-leading expertise in Germany within the S-Class and the EQS. On the identical time, we additionally wish to obtain certification within the US by the tip of the yr. Accountable dealing with of future applied sciences reminiscent of conditional automated driving is the important thing to acceptance amongst prospects and in society. With DRIVE PILOT, we’ve got developed an progressive expertise that, due to redundancies with many sensors, allows secure operation and provides the precious asset time again to the shopper.
—Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Administration of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG, accountable for Advertising & Gross sales
Conditionally automated car operation in accordance with SAE-Degree 3 requires a system design that should allow any malfunctions—each easy and extra critical—to be managed safely. The redundant structure contains the brake system, the steering, the facility provide in addition to elements of the sensor expertise reminiscent of these for atmosphere consciousness and driving dynamics calculation.
The battery, steering motor, wheel pace sensors and the varied algorithms utilized by the system to calculate the information even have a redundant design. As well as, elements of the sensor expertise are additionally functionally redundant, as they complement one another with their totally different bodily ideas (e.g. optical, ultrasonic, radio waves), thereby enabling secure switch.
Within the unlikely occasion of a malfunction, the car stays maneuverable on account of its redundant system design, permitting DRIVE PILOT to carry out a secure handover to the motive force. If the motive force doesn’t adjust to the takeover request throughout the most allotted time of ten seconds, for instance on account of a medical emergency, DRIVE PILOT promptly initiates an emergency cease that’s secure each for the car and the next visitors.
For this goal, the Clever Drive Controller repeatedly calculates the optimum trajectory for coming to a secure cease. In the meantime, the maneuverability of DRIVE PILOT is designed to maintain the car inside its lane and keep away from collisions with different street customers and objects on the street.
The precise location of a Mercedes geared up with DRIVE PILOT is set utilizing a high-precision positioning system that’s rather more highly effective than standard GPS programs. Along with the anonymized knowledge collected by LiDAR, digital camera, radar and ultrasound sensors, a digital HD map gives a three-dimensional picture of the street and the environment with info on street geometry, route traits, visitors indicators and particular visitors occasions (e.g. accidents or street works).
This high-precision map differs from maps for navigation units by, amongst different issues, its increased accuracy within the centimeter relatively than meter vary and its detailed junction and route mannequin. The map knowledge is saved in backend knowledge facilities and up to date continually. Every car additionally shops a picture of this map info on board, continually compares it with the backend knowledge and updates the native dataset as required. All of this permits secure and correct positioning by way of a illustration of the environment that’s unbiased of things reminiscent of shadows or soiled sensors.
Mercedes-Benz is making certain that the brand new expertise is being placed on the street in a legally compliant method. Engineers, attorneys, compliance managers, knowledge safety officers and ethics consultants have all labored collectively within the improvement course of.
One foundation for automated driving is offered by extra management mechanisms, for instance: For safety-relevant features reminiscent of pedestrian detection, the Mercedes-Benz’ engineers intentionally don’t use algorithms, for instance by way of self-learning approaches. The main target is extra on what is called “supervised studying”—i.e., Mercedes-Benz defines and management what the factitious intelligence is allowed to be taught.
Earlier than the AI software program is used on the roads, intensive validation testing is carried out to make sure that the AI works as desired in actual visitors situations. Within the case of pedestrian detection, AI helps the system to determine objects and conditions on and subsequent to the street rapidly and safely. The automotive producer’s moral requirement is that the detection course of is non-discriminatory. Because of this the car’s numerous sensors completely monitor the street and the roadside, to all the time detect individuals accurately, no matter their clothes, physique dimension, posture or different traits.
With the opening up of the Street Site visitors Act (StVG) for Degree 3 programs in 2017,
Germany was the primary nation to create a authorized foundation for the meant use of those programs. The technical approval regulation with which such a system may be licensed didn’t come into drive till the start of 2021. Since then, it may be applied in Europe. Mercedes-Benz is the primary automotive firm on the earth to fulfill the demanding authorized necessities of UN Regulation No. 157 for a Degree 3 system.
Intimately, this ends in necessities for the car and duties for the motive force: In conditional automated driving mode, the car should grasp the driving process safely and adjust to all visitors rules. The motive force nonetheless has duties in public street visitors, particularly to adjust to different visitors rules. To this finish, the motive force should stay able to take over and resume management when requested by DRIVE PILOT or on account of apparent circumstances.
