Mercedes to Roll Out Level 3 Semi-Autonomous Driving Systems in 2024

by Chris Teague

Published: September 28th, 2023

mercedes to roll out level 3 semi autonomous driving systems in 2024

Marketing buzzwords and questionable advertising practices have led many to believe that self-driving cars are a real thing that people can go out and buy today. However, despite the fact that some automakers literally call their driver assistance tech “self-driving,” there are precisely zero fully autonomous cars on sale. While it will be years before truly self-driving cars become a reality, automakers are developing more advanced systems that have much of the autonomous experience with some caveats. Mercedes is set to be the first company to offer a Level 3 system, which enables hands-free driving in most situations but requires a human’s attention at all times.

The conditional automated driving system is called Drive Pilot, and it’s scheduled for a public rollout in late 2023 to owners in California and Nevada. Regulations are a significant challenge in the U.S., as each state has different rules and regulations around what’s allowed on the road. Mercedes said its initial rollout to two western states would expand to others in the future but noted the differing legal frameworks in other areas.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) splits autonomous driving systems into six levels. Level 0 involves complete human control with no computer intervention. Level 5 is complete automation, which requires no driver input. Today’s most advanced systems, including Ford’s Blue Cruise and GM’s Super Cruise, are Level 2 (partial automation), which means the vehicle can steer and handle acceleration and braking, but the human must remain alert and available to take control at any time.

Level 3 systems, also called conditional automation, control the vehicle in most situations and can detect changes in the surrounding environment. However, they still require an attentive driver to handle some tasks and emergencies. Tesla’s “full self-driving” (FSD) system, which is targeting Level 5 automation, is evolving as drivers participate in the beta program but remains stuck at Level 2. Though the automaker updates its vehicles’ capability through software updates, Level 5, the highest tier of automation, is a long way off.

[Image: Mercedes-Benz]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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3 of 26 comments

Tassos on Sep 29, 2023

The EQS is the best looking BEV, better than even the only Tesla I would ever consider (the S) and more luxurious inside etc etc

The self driving features will come in handy when I'm 110 and my eyesight and reaction times start to suffer.

But that's four decades away, and only Tim recommends 40 year old "used cars"

1 Reply
- ToolGuy on Sep 29, 2023
  
  @Tassos, if you are taking questions:
  • What does "EQ" stand for? EQE Sedan is the electric counterpart of the E-Class am I doing that right? But then the EQE SUV parallels the GLE SUV? What happened to the G and the L? Why not EQGLE?
  • The mbusa.com website runs like it's 1998, so it took me awhile to get to this next one: If I build a 2023 Exclusive Trim EQE 350+ SUV, what does the "350" mean? How about the "+"?
  • How do you personally differentiate between the EQS Sedan and the EQS SUV? When you say "The EQS is the best looking BEV" do you mean the EQS Sedan or the EQS SUV? If the Sedan, before or after the clay model was left to droop in the sun?
  
  2
ToolGuy on Oct 05, 2023

Had my first EQS Sedan sighting today (three states away from home).
Was in a fairly ritzy area and couldn't study it, since law enforcement would have been along shortly to remind me that people like me shouldn't be in a place like that.

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