Mercedes Took On Hands-Free Driving 'Too Early.' Now the Company Is Taking a Step Back

Mercedes-Benz has revised its approach to automated driving systems. The company has decided not to equip the updated S-Class with the Level 3 Drive Pilot system and is now developing a more advanced version of Level 2++.

Drive Pilot became the first Level 3 system approved for U.S. roads in 2023. It was offered for the S-Class and EQS: under specified conditions, the driver could take their hands off the wheel and stop monitoring the road. However, the system operated at speeds of up to approximately 40 mph, making it useful primarily in slow-moving traffic rather than on regular highways.

According to Mercedes-Benz CTO Jörg Burzer, the company introduced the technology to the market too early and did not immediately consider what drivers truly needed. Now, Mercedes is expanding the capabilities of Level 2++: the system is intended to assist throughout the entire route, including lane changes, intersections, turns, and responses to traffic lights. However, responsibility remains with the driver—they must monitor the road and be ready to take control.

The S-Class utilizes up to 27 sensors to support these functions. Mercedes plans to develop Level 2++ until it can transition directly to Level 4, skipping the next Level 3 stage. Burzer believes that a production vehicle with Level 4 will not appear before 2030. Even after that, the adoption of the technology is likely to be gradual, with urban driving becoming one of the last available functions.