Mercedes-Benz Launches First ‘Hands-Free, Eyes-Off’ Cars For Sale In California

The state of California Department of Motor Vehicles has just granted Mercedes-Benz to start selling its series of Drive Pilot cars, Level 3 autonomous vehicles that allow drivers to take to the roads with a “hands-free, eyes-off” approach.
 
Drive Pilot was first introduced in May 2022, and it differs slightly from a fully autonomous driving system like those developed by Waymo and Cruise. The feature utilizes sensors like lidar, radar, cameras, and various software to handle driving in place of a human. It gives people the freedom to watch videos, answer texts, or talk to other passengers without keeping their eyes on the road or their hands on the wheel. 

It has a variety of safety measures in place; for example, it will not go beyond 40 mph, and it will not drive in conditions such as on city or country roads. It will also not deploy during adverse weather conditions like heavy rain, fog, or even on flooded roads. 
 
When Mercedes-Benz first introduced the offering, it sought approval from every US state, even those that do not pose any restrictions on autonomous vehicles. The DMV has since required the German marque to provide a mandatory video to owners explaining how the system works and how to engage and disengage before it can be used.

For now, Drive Pilot will only be able to be used in the Bay Area, central valley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The system can only be deployed on certain freeway sections, and it can control speed, distance, and lane guidance as it monitors traffic around the car.
 
 
 
[via TechCrunch and Electrek, images via Mercedes-Benz]