Mercedes-Benz has reached a new milestone in autonomous driving: its DRIVE PILOT system is now officially approved to operate at speeds of up to 95?km/h in Germany. This development, validated by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt), will be offered starting in spring?2025 on the S-Class and EQS sedans, at no extra cost for existing customers.
The main advantage of DRIVE PILOT is that once activated, drivers can freely engage in other activities—such as watching a movie or reading the newspaper—while the vehicle takes control of the driving in certain traffic conditions. In terms of safety, Mercedes-Benz has integrated a fully redundant architecture (covering braking, steering, and electrical systems) and more than 35?sensors (including cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR) to handle various situations and ensure optimal traffic management.
Looking ahead, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the authorized speed for autonomous driving (up to 130?km/h) and is working on adding turquoise exterior lights to clearly signal to other road users when the autonomous mode is active. This initiative reflects the brand’s commitment to further democratize and secure the future of automated driving.
