Mercedes-Benz announced today that its European 2009 E-Class and S-Class cars will get safety tech next Spring that keeps a driver from nodding off, recognizes speed limit signs, minimizes crash injuries for occupants as well as pedestrians and more.
In unveiling the wide ranging suite of active safety technology in Leipzig today, the German luxury automaker says it intends to create vehicles that can be part of the "thinking" process of driving and also "see, sense and act autonomously."
And, of course, also create cars that sell, since safety tech ranks high on the list of bells and whistles that customers are willing to pay for.
Highlights of the MB's safety systems include:
Adaptive Highbeam Assist: An adaptive headlight system that automatically adjusts the range of lighting relative to the distance of oncoming vehicles, selecting the best range so that drivers can see the road, pedestrians and potential dangers in a car's path. A camera on the windshield monitors traffic and uses an image-processing algorithm to detect other vehicles to continuously adjust the range of the headlamps depending on the distance of oncoming traffic and a vehicle in the same lane in front of the car.
Intelligent Light System: Combined with Adaptive Headlight Assist, this technology offers five separate lighting modes suited to different driving and weather conditions, including "country" and "motorway" modes and a corner light function that automatically kicks in when a turn signal is activated or the driver turns the steering wheel at speeds below 25 mph.
Night View Assist PLUS: An enhancement to Mercedes' night-vision system that highlights pedestrians in the display.
Speed Limit Assist: A windshield-mounted camera that detects speed-limit signs and mimics them in the speedometer.
Pedestrian protection: An active hood that raises at the rear by about 2 inches within milliseconds in the event of an accident to keep a pedestrian from smashing into the windshield. The driver can reset the hood without having to visit the body shop, although a trip to court is probably inevitable.
Attention Assist: Sensors detect when a driver starts to nod off and the system sounds an alarm and flashes a message in the instrument panel, appropriately telling you to get a cup of coffee.
hondacura4 says:
03:46 PM, 11/12/08
Im all for safety but paying attention seems to be just as effective. However some things arent avoidable.
estreka says:
05:40 PM, 11/12/08
This is precisely the direction I think the auto industry should shy away from. Not only are these things probably ungodly expensive, but they make passengers complacent. I could see someone having an accident after falling asleep at the wheel and sucessfully suing MB because "the car didn't tell me I was tired."
tryan says:
03:47 AM, 11/13/08
What? No Coffee Maker?
I have to wipe my own arse, too?
Where's the 'Absolve of Responsibility' Assist?
ateixeira says:
03:57 PM, 11/13/08
So, if you're speeding will it apply the brakes?
"see, sense and ACT autonomously"
ddoouugg says:
08:32 PM, 11/13/08
Sounds like amazing technology but it's definitely not for me.