The automated driving system for Mercedes-Benz was certified by the California Department of Motor Vehicles on Thursday under specific circumstances on designated roadways without the active control of a driver.
According to estimations by Reuters, California accounted for 16% of Tesla’s global deliveries last year, making it one of the automaker’s top markets. However, the German automaker defeated Tesla to become the first automaker to be granted permission to offer for sale or lease to the general public automobiles featuring autonomous driving systems in California.
The Level 3 Mercedes-Benz ‘DRIVE PILOT’ technology, which enables a driver to lawfully take their eyes off the road but requires them to be accessible to regain control in an emergency, received permission. According to the DMV, the ‘DRIVE PILOT’ technology can only be used on highways during the daytime at speeds no greater than 40 mph.
Other systems that are now in use on public roads, like Tesla’s Autopilot or General Motors’ Super Cruise, are categorized as SAE Level 2 systems. These systems manage some driving-related activities but necessitate constant driver attention. Tesla refers to its level 2 driving assistance system as “Full Self-Driving” and claims that in order to keep the function operating safely, a driver must constantly monitor it and take appropriate action. The license enables Mercedes-Benz to make its “DRIVE PILOT” system available on Californian motorways in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego, as well as on the interstate that connects Southern California to Nevada.
Mercedes-Benz was given permission to use cutting-edge automatic driving technology on Nevadan roads earlier this year.
