Mercedes-Benz has received a permit from California regulators that will allow the German automaker to sell or lease vehicles in the state equipped with automated driving systems that assist the driver. without hands, close eyes on some roads. The California Department of Motor Vehicles said it has approved the delivery of autonomous vehicles to Mercedes for its so-called Pilot system. Hands-free and blindfolded systems can be operated on California highways, including Interstate 15, under certain conditions without the active control of a human driver. This means that drivers can watch videos, text or talk to a passenger (or even interact with a number of other apps for new Mercedes models) without looking at the road ahead. or fly with their hands.Mercedes-Benz is the fourth company to receive a license to deliver autonomous vehicles in California and the first to allow the sale or lease of vehicles with self-driving systems to the public, according to the DMV, which regulates autonomous vehicles in the state.
The transfer permit allows the driver to use freeways in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego.Drive Pilot is not one of the autonomous systems developed by Waymo, Cruise, Motional and Zoox - although some principles apply. Pilot Drive systems use a combination of sensors such as lidar, radar and cameras as well as software to control driving functions under certain conditions without the control of a human driver.The Mercedes system is only available at speeds up to 40 kilometers per hour, during the day on the highway. The system will not be involved in the city or town roads, construction zones, during heavy rains or heavy fog, and flood roads, and in weather conditions that strongly affect the performance process, like the DMV. Systems developed by Waymo and others are designed to operate at high speeds, day or night on public roads, and should not be taken over by a human passenger.The DMV imposed other regulations on Mercedes, including that car owners must watch a mandatory video that explains the system's capabilities and how to turn on the technology before they can access it. Mercedes must fulfill many safety, insurance and vehicle registration requirements.Mercedes has taken the security measures of its Drive Pilot, seeking approval from the authorities of each US state, even in cases where there are no specific restrictions on the use of this technology. The automaker first launched Drive Pilot in Germany. It received Nevada approval earlier this year.
