Aurélien Fleurot, edited by Juline Garnier 8:48 p.m., May 06, 2022, modified at 8:51 p.m., May 06, 2022
Watching a movie while driving a car will soon be possible.
Ahead of Tesla, the Mercedes brand is going further in the autonomous car with the launch of the "Drive pilot" system in the coming days, in Germany.
For the first time, this system will allow the driver to completely let go of the steering wheel.
Look at his messages, read a book, work… These wishes of car drivers, hitherto ignored, will soon be granted by Mercedes.
The car brand launches the "Drive pilot" system.
It is a system that corresponds to level three of autonomous driving.
An unprecedented level for a marketed car which will therefore allow you to let go of the steering wheel, "but not either when you want to", explains Guillaume Kerbrat, associate director at TNP Consultants.
"This means that in a traffic jam or in heavy traffic, so up to 60 km/h, you can look away, play with your phone, read a book. If the system detects that you are really not in ability to drive or the environment changes, that is to say that the blockage disappears, it will give you an audible signal, an alarm and suddenly you will regain control of the system", he says. .
An innovation already approved worldwide
This is already a globally approved innovation.
This is not the case, for example, with Tesla's autopilot system, which is only available in California.
Mercedes therefore keeps its pioneering image, as was the case with the airbag or the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
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Finally, a little French pride has slipped into this innovation.
This is based on Lidar, sensors manufactured by the French equipment manufacturer Valeo, also a world leader.
However, to read while driving, you will still have to pay between 5,000 and 8,000 additional euros, depending on the model.