Mercedes E-Class to Get Self-Driving System

Daimler AG's next-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class midsize sedan will be capable of steering itself at highway speeds, Bloomberg News reports. The model will be launched in Europe next March.

A Bloomberg reporter who tested the car says it autonomously operated at a top speed of 80 miles per hour, adjusting its pace as necessary to navigate curves and drive through a dark tunnel.

The system is programmed to detect if a driver's hands leave the steering wheel for more than a few seconds to satisfy European driving laws. If this happens, drivers are reminded by a warning light, followed by a series of beeps to retake the wheel.

Bloomberg says the self-steering function will eventually shut off to force the driver to take control, and automatic braking can be applied to bring the vehicle to a stop if a collision is imminent.

During the test drive, the system was temporarily "confused" by tree shadows and signs at construction sites, according to the report. The system also has not yet been programmed to handle sharp low-speed turns, but Thomas Weber, Daimler's head of development, tells Bloomberg that fully autonomous driving will become a reality "much more quickly" than the public assumes.

The current Mercedes S-Class already offers autonomous driving capability in stop-and-go traffic at speeds as fast as 37 miles per hour. More than 90% of buyers in Germany opt for the €2,250 ($2,500) package that also includes lane-keeping technology.

Daimler previously has vowed to be ready to introduce a self-driving car by the end of the decade. But such applications are predicated on clearing three hurdles: achieving greater on-board computing power, enhancing map data for vehicle orientation and passing legislation to permit such vehicles on public roads.