2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class to be autonomous-ready - Cars Guide
Only hands-on laws are stopping the next Mercedes-Benz E-Class being a hands-off car on freeways. "From a technological standpoint, we're upgrading Business Class to First Class," says Michael Hafner, the company's director of driver assistance systems and active safety. Unlike the last generation of Mercedes' Intelligent Drive technology, introduced in the S-Class limo only two years ago, the E-Class will be able to drive itself on roads without clear lane markings at up to 130km/h. So law-abiding Mercedes-Benz uses a steering-wheel sensor to shut down its most advanced technology if the driver's hands leave the steering wheel for more than a few seconds. But Mercedes-Benz will be ready to move the moment such laws are amended to accommodate autonomous cars. This will make it possible, for example, for drivers to hand over control to the car for tedious motorway driving. Mercedes driver assistance systems engineer Alexander Schaab confirms that motorway driving is an ideal scenario for the autonomous car. Thinking ahead, Mercedes is already working to develop protocols for the car to hand control back to the driver, he says. Source: www.carsguide.com.au
