[AutonomousVehicles] Mercedes Benz approved for level 3 autonomous driving in Nevada

[Cornelius Butler]

Hi Everyone,
Mercedes Benz has been approved for Level 3 autonomous driving in the state
of Nevada. Article Link and text are below.

Article Link:
https://www.thedrive.com/news/mercedes-benz-gets-approval-to-deploy-level-3-driving-tech-in-nevada

Article Text:
Mercedes-Benz Gets Approval to Deploy Level 3 Driving Tech in Nevada
It’s the first automaker to receive this type of regulatory approval in the
U.S., beating Honda.

BY
ROB STUMPF

PUBLISHED JAN 6, 2023 4:36 PM

Mercedes-Benz will be the first automaker to launch a Level 3 automated
driving system in the United States. The news comes as part of a series of
announcements made by Mercedes at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas, noting that it has received official approval from the Nevada
Department of Transportation to operate its Drive Pilot system on state
roads. It expects to receive its formal certification within two weeks.

In addition to Nevada, Mercedes has also applied for similar permissions in
California, though it has not yet received approval. The automaker is
optimistic that it will in time.

Level 3 driving assistance is defined by the SAE as a conditional
hands-free automated driving system, meaning that the person behind the
wheel is not actually driving while the system is engaged. However, the
vehicle may request that the driver take over if certain driving conditions
aren't met, unlike Level 4 and 5 which will not prompt the driver to take
over once the system is engaged in its operational design domain.

Mercedes' selling point for Drive Pilot is to enable its customers to
reclaim their time while in the vehicle. Specifically, the automaker says
it will allow drivers to "focus on certain secondary activities such as
communicating with colleagues via In-Car Office, browsing the web or
relaxing while watching a movie." It's unclear just how much time drivers
will get back, or where the system will be used, as Drive Pilot is
currently limited to just 37 miles per hour elsewhere in the world.

The idea behind Drive Pilot isn't unique to Mercedes. Many automakers are
working to build hands-free driving into their vehicles, though some have
backed down on old promises. That said, Mercedes is the first automaker to
receive such approval in the U.S., beating out names like Tesla, General
Motors, Ford, and even Honda. The auto giant holds the title as the first
automaker to put out a production vehicle with Level 3 autonomy in its
Japan-only Honda Legend sedan.

It's important to note that while Nevada regulates autonomy on its roads,
it does not certify individual vehicles or systems, nor does it grant
specific approval based on what SAE-defined autonomy level a vehicle is
claimed to fall under. Instead, the DOT requires the automaker to
self-certify its systems and verify that its safety systems meet specific
requirements.

"Mercedes has certified that their technology meets the Nevada 'minimal
risk condition' requirement that requires a Level 3 or higher 'fully
autonomous' vehicles to be able to stop if there is a malfunction in the
system," said the Nevada DOT.

In case you're not yet ready for a Level 3 system (or live somewhere where
it's not yet approved), Mercedes says that its Level 2 driver assistance
system will also gain Automatic Lane Change functionality in North America.
While this won't quite be the same as taking your hands off the wheel, the
vehicle will automatically initiate lane changes if it approaches a slower
car while adaptive cruise control is enabled. And yes, it will return back
to its original lane once it passes to avoid being a left-lane log.

Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly:
rob at thedrive.com
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