Mercedes Level 3 autonomy gets approval in Nevada

LAS VEGAS — Mercedes-Benz said at CES 2023 it has received approval for Level 3 automated assisted driving in Nevada, making it the first automaker to attain regulatory approval for this technology in the U.S.

The automaker’s Drive Pilot system allows the car to take control of driving functions under certain conditions, freeing the driver to do other things, such as answering emails.

Level 3 on the SAE International scale is approved to operate on highways at speeds of up to 40 mph, meaning its primary use would be in congested traffic or traffic jams.

Drive Pilot uses radar, lidar, cameras, ultrasound and moisture sensors to provide data on road conditions to vehicle computers. It controls speed, braking and lane position.

The system can ask the driver to take control at any time, a prerequisite for Level 3 autonomy. If the driver does not respond within 10 seconds, the car will come to an emergency stop.

Mercedes began offering Drive Pilot, the first Level 3 autonomous driving system approved for European public roads, as an option on S-Class and EQS models in May. At the time, Mercedes said the technology costs €5,000 ($5,300) on the S-Class and €7,430 on the EQS in Germany. The automaker also aims to attain certification to sell the Level 3 system in California.

Also at CES, Mercedes said its new Automatic Lane Change feature will come to North America this year.

ALC enables the car to automatically initiate a lane change and overtake slower vehicles with the cruise control engaged. To use ALC, the driver sets the speed of the adaptive distance cruise control function.

With the feature activated, the car monitors its surroundings via radar and cameras to overtake slower vehicles on the road.

ALC can also initiate an automatic lane change to help follow the active route guidance when approaching exit ramps or freeway junctions.