Mercedes-Benz Active Safety Head "Level 3 Autonomous Vehicle Launch in Second Half of Next Year"

Christoph von Hugo, Head of Active Safety at Mercedes-Benz AG, Video Interview

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] "In the second half of next year, you will be able to see Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology on the roads."

On the 15th, Christoph von Hugo, Head of Active Safety at Mercedes-Benz AG (pictured), revealed the progress of Mercedes-Benz's autonomous driving technology development in a video interview with Asia Economy. Level 3 autonomous driving technology includes features such as automatic lane changing, automatic parking, and obstacle avoidance, meaning the driver can take their hands off the steering wheel while driving on highways. If the vehicle requests the driver to take back control during autonomous driving, the system switches back to manual driving mode.

Christoph von Hugo, Head of Active Safety at Mercedes-Benz AG

The core of Mercedes-Benz's Level 3 autonomous driving technology is the "Drive Pilot," which continuously monitors the driver's condition. When the vehicle requests the driver to switch to manual driving mode, it detects the driver's eyelid or head movements to assess their state. If the driver is drowsy at the time of switching to manual mode, the vehicle gradually slows down and stops on its own. This Level 3 technology is scheduled to be first applied to the new S-Class and will be launched in Germany in the second half of next year, in line with the introduction of autonomous driving regulations in Europe.

Von Hugo stated, "We are striving to develop the most convenient active safety technology from the driver's perspective," adding, "Even with the application of Level 3, there are limitations as it is restricted to certain sections or speeds, so technologies at the current (Level 2) level will coexist for a considerable period."

According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards, autonomous driving technology is divided into six levels. Level 0 is purely driver-operated, Levels 1 to 2 provide partial assistance to the driver, and from Level 3 onward, the system drives autonomously with the driver intervening only when necessary. Level 4 involves occasional driver intervention but is mostly vehicle-driven, while Level 5 is fully automated, operating without a steering wheel or pedals.

Tesla, regarded as a leader in autonomous driving technology in the automotive industry, currently applies Level 2 "Autopilot" and has announced plans to release a beta version of a Level 3 autonomous driving system within this month. Hyundai Motor Company, developing autonomous driving technology through a joint venture with Aptiv, has set a goal to commercialize Level 4 autonomous vehicles by 2022.

Mercedes-Benz 10th Generation E-Class Facelift

Meanwhile, the facelifted E-Class model that Mercedes-Benz introduced to the domestic market this month has also been upgraded with various advanced safety features. It includes automatic recognition of road speed limit signs and speed adjustment based on map data according to road conditions.

Additionally, the driving assistance system settings can be customized to reflect the driver's usual driving habits. For example, if a driver tends to drive slightly to the left rather than the center of the lane when using the lane-keeping assist system, the system will operate accordingly. Von Hugo emphasized, "Mercedes-Benz's advanced safety technology is not applied uniformly but can assist systems tailored to the driver's driving style," adding, "We are dedicated to developing technology that prioritizes driver convenience and safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.