Drive
Pilot,
Mercedes-Benz’s
Level
3
“conditionally
automated
driving”
feature,
is
getting
a
speed
bump.
The
system
will
now
support
speeds
of
up
to
95km/h
(59mph)
on
German
motorways,
a
sign
that
the
automaker
is
feeling
bullish
about
its
boundary-pushing
technology.
Mercedes
is
still
waiting
for
approval
from
German
regulators
before
pushing
out
a
software
update
to
customers
of
vehicles
that
support
Drive
Pilot.
But
once
that
happens,
the
company
boasts
that
it
will
have
“the
world’s
fastest
Level 3
system
in
a
series-production
vehicle.”
Drive
Pilot
is
similar
to
“hands-free”
highway
driving
systems
like
GM’s
Super
Cruise,
Ford’s
BlueCruise,
and
Tesla’s
Autopilot
in
so
far
that
it
allows
drivers
to
take
their
hands
off
the
steering
wheel
and
foot
off
the
pedal
under
certain
conditions.
It
is
currently
approved
for
use
in
only
two
states
in
the
US:
California
and
Nevada.
But
unlike
Level
2
systems,
in
which
drivers
are
required
to
keep
their
eyes
on
the
road,
Mercedes’
Level
3
system
has
a
few
more
allowances.
That
includes
letting
drivers
look
away
from
the
road
at
something
else,
like
a
game
or
a
movie,
when
certain
conditions
are
met.
For
Drive
Pilot
to
work,
there
needs
to
be:
a
vehicle
in
front
of
your
car;
reasonable
road
conditions
with
readable
markings
and
lines;
and
clear
weather
and
optimal
light. If
one
or
more
of
these
conditions
isn’t
met,
Drive
Pilot
won’t
be
available
for
use.
Initially,
Mercedes
marketed
Drive
Pilot
as
the
ideal
feature
for
stop-and-go
traffic.
Let
the
car
handle
the
driving
so
you
can
check
your
phone
or
zone
out.
When
you
need
to
take
back
control
of
the
vehicle,
the
system
will
give
you
ample
warning.
But
by
dialing
up
the
maximum
speed,
Mercedes
now
seems
interested
in
selling
Drive
Pilot
as
the
ideal
partially
autonomous
system
for
road
trips
in
general.
The
company
envisions
the
system
as
a
stepping
stone
to
fully
autonomous
driving.
Drivers
are
adept
at
skirting
the
rules
But
drivers
are
adept
at
skirting
the
rules
that
govern
driver-assist
systems,
according
to
a
recent
study
conducted
by
the
Insurance
Institute
for
Highway
Safety.
And
while
Mercedes
says
drivers
won’t
be
able
to
fall
asleep
or
climb
into
the
back
seat
while
using
Drive
Pilot,
some
will
certainly
try
their
hardest.
And
when
a
car
is
traveling
at
much
higher
speeds
than
before,
all
it
takes
is
a
split
second
for
something
to
go
wrong.
There
have
been
studies
that
show
that
the
handoff
between
an
automated
system
and
a
human
driver
can
be
especially
fraught.
When
people
are
disconnected
from
driving
for
a
long
period
of
time,
they
may
overreact
when
suddenly
taking
control
in
an
emergency
situation.
They
may
overcorrect
steering,
brake
too
hard,
or
be
unable
to
respond
correctly
because
they
haven’t
been
paying
attention.
Those
actions
can
create
a
domino
effect
that
has
the
potential
to
be
dangerous
—
and
perhaps
even
fatal.
Most
fully
autonomous
companies,
like
Waymo
and
Cruise,
have
said
they
think
Level
3
is
too
dangerous,
preferring
to
work
exclusively
on
Level
4
technology
that
cuts
the
driver
completely
out
of
the
equation.
Mercedes
is
in
the
process
of
getting
approval
for
turquoise
marking
lights
that
show
up
on
the
headlights,
taillights,
and
side
mirrors
so
that
other
drivers
know
the
Level
3
system
is
in
use.
The
company
says
the
top
speed
allowed
for
“conditionally
automated
driving”
in
Germany
is
130km/h
(80.7mph),
which
it
aims
to
reach
by
the
end
of
the
decade.
Original author: Andrew J. Hawkins
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