Mercedes remains ahead of rivals in the self-driving space
The S-Class has always been a showcase for the best technologies available to Mercedes-Benz customers. Way back in 1978, the W116 model was the first production car with an electronic four-wheel multi-channel ABS system. Through the decades, the S-Class continued to innovate with technologies like the Pre-Safe anticipatory safety system and Distronic radar cruise control.
And now, as we step deeper into the autonomous driving age, Mercedes-Benz is set to introduce Level 4 autonomy in the S-Class. The breakthrough step to Level 4 was announced by tech company Nvidia, whose technologies will make this transition possible for the luxury sedan.
A True Chauffeur Experience
According to Nvidia, Mercedes is currently in the process of testing a system using MB.OS and Drive AGX Hyperion. The latter is a reference compute and sensor architecture that enables Level 4 readiness for any vehicle.
“Building on its legacy of innovation, the new S-Class offers an exceptional chauffeured level 4 experience combining luxury, safety and cutting-edge autonomy,” said Nvidia.
The Level 4 system by Nvidia can be tailored by automakers for their specific requirements. It makes use of the Nvidia Drive OS operating system, which uses nine radars, one lidar, 12 ultrasonics, and 14 high-definition cameras. It’s far more advanced than the camera-only system used for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite, which remains a Level 2 system.
Mercedes already offers the Level 3 Drive Pilot system, the first such system that’s available in the United States and a step ahead of where BMW is at in this specific market, but Level 4 will take autonomous driving to the next level. BMW does offer Level 3 capability on the 7 Series in Germany, though.
The tech is likely to appear in the next-generation S-Class, which could be inspired by the dramatic Vision Iconic show car.
Autonomous Driving Levels Explained
Mercedes-Benz
The most advanced self-driving systems to be widely available in the USA are Level 2 systems. Despite Tesla’s FSD having the unique capability to take over driving duties in a range of environments, it still requires supervision from the driver at all times, who should be ready to take control at any point.
A Level 3 system does not require driver supervision in some locations, as the autonomous system takes over driving duties completely. With Level 3, the driver can partake in activities like browsing the web or watching videos. However, the system still only works in specified conditions, and the car may request that the driver takes over if required.
Mercedes-Benz
Level 4 represents high automation, such as driverless taxis. These still have manual driving controls like a steering wheel and pedals, but the car handles all driving and the system can intervene if anything goes wrong. Most of the time, no human input is required at all, although the presence of driver controls limits it to Level 4; Level 5 involves a vehicle with no option for the driver to take control at all.
An S-Class with Level 4 will surely be an incredibly opulent way to travel—you’ll get to enjoy one of the finest-driving luxury cars in total privacy. In this segment, comfort and refinement are more important than driving pleasure for many customers, so the tech makes sense on high-end cars like the S-Class.
Legislation for Level 4 consumer vehicles isn’t in place yet, but Mercedes is forging ahead with the technology anyway. Nvidia has confirmed that Lucid and Stellantis will utilize the Drive AGX Hyperion system, too. This announcement comes despite the fact that Stellantis scrapped its plan for a Level 3 system, which would have made it into some Jeeps.
Related: Nvidia is taking over the autonomous driving market
Final Thoughts
Large-scale deployment of Level 4-enabled vehicles is likely still some way off, but the foundation is being set for such vehicles to reach showrooms. While robotaxies are one thing, it’s going to be another issue entirely as safety regulators make provisions for privately-owned vehicles with the capability.
Already at Level 3 autonomy and now with its Nvidia relationship, Mercedes is better positioned than most to be the first to introduce Level 4 autonomy. The S-Class is the ideal choice for this, although precisely when it will happen is uncertain.
