Safety Advocates Criticize Mercedes “Drive Pilot” Ads

Consumer and safety advocates in the U.S. are asking the Federal Trade Commission to determine whether Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz unit is overstating the capabilities of its semi-autonomous Drive Pilot technology in television ads, Automotive News reports.

The technology is available in the 2017 model E-Class luxury sedan. The system can automatically steer the car within a lane and adjusts its speed to follow the vehicle ahead of it at speeds as high as 130 mph. Mercedes notes that the system also requires the driver to touch the steering wheel frequently.

But in a letter to FTC Chair Edith Ramirez, the watchdogs say the Mercedes ads indicate the car can drive itself, even though a Mercedes disclaimer says it can’t. A YouTube version of the ad refers to a vehicle that can drive itself and shows an E-Class car moving through city streets as the driver allows the car to steer itself.

The FTC letter was signed by former National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Joan Claybrook and representatives of Consumer Reports, the Center for Auto Safety and the Consumer Federation of America—all of whom have urged caution in the use of semi-autonomous driver aids.

The advocates complain that Drive Pilot doesn’t meet NHTSA’s definition of either a fully or partially self-driving car. The letter warns that the Mercedes ads could generate a false sense of security about the system’s capabilities.

The protest comes as NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board continue their investigations into a fatal crash involving Tesla Motors Inc.’s Autopilot system, which offers similar capabilities. Tesla has always advised customers they are responsible for control of the vehicle under all circumstances.