Mercedes-Benz erhält Zulassung zum Testen vollautomatisierter Fahrsysteme nach SAE-Level 4 in Peking für die Anwendung in Privatfahrzeugen / Mercedes-Benz Becomes First International Car Maker to Obtain Approval for Level 4 Automated Driving Testing on Urban Roads and Highways in Beijing for Privately Owned Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz erhält Zulassung zum Testen vollautomatisierter Fahrsysteme nach SAE-Level 4 in Peking für die Anwendung in Privatfahrzeugen / Mercedes-Benz Becomes First International Car Maker to Obtain Approval for Level 4 Automated Driving Testing on Urban Roads and Highways in Beijing for Privately Owned Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz is starting to test fully automated driving systems (SAE level 4) on designated inner-city roads and highways in Beijing. The aim is to test the hardware and software of future automated driving systems for private vehicles. Mercedes-Benz was one of the first car manufacturers to receive approval to test highly automated driving systems (SAE level 3) in Beijing at the end of 2023.
Among other things, the project is investigating environment recognition with multiple sensors at high levels of automation and is intended to verify the driving system under various conditions. Two specially equipped S-Classes will be used as test vehicles for the Level 4 systems and are fitted with a sensor array specially developed for the project, including LiDAR, radar sensors and cameras.
They are also equipped with redundant electrical, steering and braking systems to further increase safety. The technology is being tested in regular traffic in busy urban areas. This allows the development team to analyze the system’s behavior in everyday situations, e.g. when turning left with oncoming traffic, driving through traffic circles, turning and parking. The two S-Classes are also designed to automatically change lanes on highways and drive through toll stations autonomously. In extreme situations, the vehicle performs a so-called minimum risk maneuver and finds a safe place to stop. SAE level 4 stands for fully automated driving and describes the second-highest level of automation: in defined scenarios and environments, the vehicle can perform driving tasks without the driver having to be ready to take over. Mercedes-Benz and the Chinese company WeRide have jointly received the test permit for automated driving according to SAE Level 4 from the responsible authority in Beijing (Beijing High-Level Automated Driving Demonstration Zone Office).
