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Mercedes-Benz introduced on August 8, 2024 that it’s the first worldwide automaker to safe approval to check its Stage 4 autonomous driving programs on designated city roads and highways in Beijing. As a part of Mercedes China’s expertise analysis initiatives, this Stage 4 testing goals to discover leading edge expertise in growing automated driving system software program and {hardware}. Beforehand, on the finish of 2023, Mercedes turned one of many first automakers to acquire approval for Stage 3 testing in Beijing.
“Since we invented the automobile 138 years ago, Mercedes-Benz has continuously set new global standards with innovative technologies. The current development and introduction of automated driving systems is redefining the role of the automobile. We offer more than 40 driver assistance systems, including enhanced Level 2 features, and are the first car maker with a Level 3 system in the market. With the new approval for testing Level 4 technology in the Beijing area, for later use in privately owned vehicles worldwide, Mercedes‑Benz leaps forward on the way to autonomous driving. Once again, we are setting the new industry benchmark,” mentioned Markus Schäfer, chief expertise officer accountable for growth and procurement for Mercedes China.
“Mercedes‑Benz China is at the forefront of global innovation, with outstanding talent and partners providing excellent opportunities for the company’s advanced technology research. Obtaining approval for Level 4 automated driving road testing in Beijing will help Mercedes‑Benz to further accelerate automated driving technology. In recent years, Mercedes‑Benz has continuously increased its local R&D investment. Through a series of advanced research projects, the local R&D team is committed to bringing intelligent luxury products and services to the needs of Chinese customers,” added Oliver Löcher, the pinnacle of Mercedes‑Benz China analysis, growth, and procurement.
The undertaking focuses on learning multi-sensor notion in high-level automated driving, verifying system efficiency beneath numerous circumstances, and exploring the deep integration of notion. Two specifically upgraded Mercedes‑Benz S‑Class fashions will function Stage 4 automated driving check automobiles. Each will probably be outfitted with a wealthy sensor-array designed particularly for the undertaking, together with LiDAR, radar sensor, and cameras.
Moreover, the testing automobiles are outfitted with redundant programs to additional improve system security. In busy city areas, the testing automobiles are being developed to take part in regular visitors and each safely and effectively full maneuvers equivalent to unprotected left turns, navigating roundabouts, U-turns, and parking. On highways, the testing automobiles will be capable of carry out automated lane modifications when the car in entrance slows down and may transfer via toll stations. In excessive conditions, the car will execute a minimal threat maneuver and discover a protected location to cease.
Stage 4 stands for extremely automated driving and is the second highest stage in automated driving. In outlined situations and environments, the car can full driving duties with out the motive force needing to be able to take over at any time. Mercedes‑Benz and WeRide not too long ago obtained the Stage 4 automated driving testing approval from the Beijing Excessive-Stage Automated Driving Demonstration Zone workplace.
This achievement within the area of automated driving is the results of many years of exploration and funding, constructing on automated driving analysis that started in 1986. Lately, Mercedes R&D China has been repeatedly accelerating the analysis, growth and deployment of automated driving expertise. The Stage 2+ automated driving perform, led by the China R&D group, is the newest achievement, permitting navigation-assisted driving capabilities on highways and concrete expressways nationwide. Beginning with the brand new long-wheelbase E-Class, this perform has already obtained optimistic market suggestions and can quickly be launched to extra Mercedes fashions.
Since Mercedes began autonomous driving analysis and growth in 2005, the China group has grown into essentially the most complete such community exterior Germany, masking superior design, electrification, connectivity, automated driving, and entire car testing. Lately, Mercedes has repeatedly elevated its R&D funding in China, totaling RMB 10.5 billion (virtually $1.5 billion) up to now 5 years, and has launched new R&D facilities in Beijing and Shanghai.
The Autonomous Driving Conundrum
There are a number of attention-grabbing issues concerning the Mercedes announcement, beginning with the opening assertion that it’s the first worldwide automaker to be granted approval to start Stage 4 autonomous testing in Beijing. There are many home producers conducting related testing applications who are usually not “international” — but. Additionally, as we wait with bated breath to be taught extra about Tesla’s proposed robotaxi in a couple of months, word that the Mercedes check automobiles are festooned with an array of sensors, together with Lidar and radar. As far as we all know, Tesla is dedicated — some would possibly say fixated — on the notion that it will possibly make Stage 4 and even Stage 5 autonomy work utilizing nothing however an array of cameras and an ultrasuperduper pc.
The important thing profit from making that work is the vehicles from Tesla wouldn’t have the bumps and bulges that the vehicles from Mercedes and different firms like Waymo function. Say what you’ll about the advantages of autonomous driving, these excrescences on the outside are ugly. If Tesla can do what nobody else has executed and make autonomous vehicles that seem like regular vehicles, that will probably be a feather in its cap. People do superb with simply two cameras — our eyes. We don’t have ultrasonic sensors, radar, or Lidar, and but we will function our automobiles completely effectively beneath most circumstances. If Tesla could make autonomous driving work utilizing solely cameras, it can make loads of different firms look somewhat foolish — and set them again years by comparability.
Lastly, there’s a query about how many individuals really need or want vehicles that drive themselves. It appears fairly clear that autonomy is as a lot about creating new income streams as it’s about making it attainable for drivers to go coast to coast with out ever placing their palms on the steering wheel. Autonomy is a mania ignited by Tesla, however it could be considerably irrelevant to particular person automobile house owners. Consider it just like the falcon-wing doorways on the Mannequin X. True, they brought about a sensation once they first appeared, however there was no demand for them from most people and no different producer has seen match to include them into their very own product choices.
Horizontal elevators would be the future, however then once more, possibly not. That can depend upon whether or not the projected enterprise case for autonomous vehicles is confirmed to work in the true world. Regardless of all of the hype and the hope, they could turn into extra of an attention-grabbing curiosity — like falcon-wing doorways — than a necessity.
