Autonomous driving: Mercedes obtains crucial homologation before Tesla – archyworldys

Mercedes-Benz obtained approval Thursday for its “level 3” autonomous driving system, which allows the driver to look away from the road in certain situations, and will market it before Tesla as early as 2022.

The manufacturer is “the first global automotive group” to have received authorization to market highly autonomous vehicles compliant with the UN-R157 standard, where local legislation allows, according to a statement from the group.

A “level 3” autonomous car can drive without human intervention in certain specific situations.

The first customers will be able to buy from the first half of 2022 in Germany luxury Mercedes S-Class equipped with a LiDAR (laser telemetry) system from the equipment manufacturer Valeo.

The system can then only be used in the event of heavy traffic on motorways, with a maximum speed of 60 km / h.

The device provides that the driver can consult e-mails, browse the Internet or watch a film on the car’s central screen, but he must be able to intervene at all times if the system asks him to do so. If it does not react within a certain time, the car will stop automatically “safely”.

“Tests of the system are underway in the United States and China,” notes Daimler.

Germany is a European pioneer in autonomous driving: since 2017, level 3 driving has been authorized there. The manufacturer Audi considered integrating this technology on its flagship, the A8, before retracting.

At the end of 2020, Japan became the first country in the world to approve a level 3 autonomous system on public roads, integrated on a Honda Legend, marketed in limited series in spring 2021.

At Tesla, autonomous driving currently marketed requires an attentive driver at all times, supervising the operations of the on-board computer (called “level 2”).

Elon Musk’s company, a pioneer of electric and autonomous mobility, is also under fire from criticism from the American regulator, who accuses him of having ignored his recommendations on the driving assistance system.

The Stellantis group (Peugeot-Fiat) plans for its part to implement in 2024 its first level 3 system, developed with BMW, “before extending it to all ranges” of its 14 brands, Joachim Langenwalter assured Tuesday. , vice president of engineering, at a software press conference.

ys-tsz / dth