Press Release
From a Vehicle with Reflexes to Thinking Partner
Mercedes-Benz is laying the groundwork for a new, forward-looking safety concept. Following its impressive success in the area of occupant protection, the Stuttgart-based brand will focus more strongly in the future on anticipatory recognition and the prevention of accidents. To this end, Mercedes-Benz is developing intelligent driver assistance systems that utilize stereo cameras and radar sensors to monitor the area surrounding the vehicle. These systems also have the ability to make predictive interpretations of critical driving situations and then issue timely warnings to drivers - or even intervene autonomously if there is imminent danger. "Several years ago, we introduced PRE-SAFE®, which gave the vehicle certain 'reflexes,' so to speak," says Dr. Thomas Weber, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes Car Group Development. "In the future, we will also give cars the ability to 'see' and 'think.' It's always been a matter of policy for us to develop vehicles capable of withstanding the most severe crash tests. However, it makes much more sense to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place - which is exactly what we're working on in the interest of all traffic participants."
In the future, Mercedes-Benz will continue to base the development of its safety systems on real-life accident statistics and data from its own accident research activities. The focus here will be on intersections, sharp curves, and construction sites, as these locations are the site of approximately one-third of all serious accidents that occur in Germany. Other issues to be addressed in the development of new driver assistance systems include driver fatigue, speed, and lane departure, all of which are also among the most frequent causes of accidents. Mercedes-Benz will also further improve occupant protection through preventive measures and by networking active and passive safety systems.
Systems developed by Mercedes-Benz have been helping to improve road safety for many years now. The invention of ESP® alone (which reduces the danger of skidding and makes it easier for drivers to handle critical situations) has led to a sustained improvement in traffic safety. The most recent German accident statistics confirm that since ESP® was introduced as standard equipment, Mercedes passenger cars have been involved in accidents much less frequently than models of other brands. Since 1999, the share of driver-related collisions in all accidents involving newly registered Mercedes models has declined by more than 42 percent. Studies show that more than 20,000 accidents could be prevented each year in if all passenger cars were equipped with ESP®. The Electronic Stability Program has now therefore joined seatbelts, airbags, and ABS as one of the most important safety systems in modern passenger cars. Still, only around 40 percent of all new cars in are currently equipped with this technology.
The Brake Assist (BAS) system, which Mercedes-Benz began offering in 1996 (the world's first brand to do so), has also proved to be a very effective technology for preventing accidents. Following the introduction of BAS as standard equipment, the share of total accidents accounted for by rear-end collisions fell by eight percent for Mercedes vehicles, but remained nearly unchanged for all other brands. Brake Assist also led to a 13 percent reduction in the proportion of serious accidents involving pedestrians.
PRE-SAFE® Brake proves itself as an "electronic crumple zone"
Mercedes-Benz will continue to base the development of its driver assistance systems on real-life accident statistics, and will utilize new technologies to focus more strongly on the phase immediately preceding an accident. The brand's engineers are developing systems that monitor the area around the vehicle, warn drivers of potential dangers, and then support them if necessary. Such systems will also activate preventive occupant protection systems in critical situations.
The era of the "seeing" car began in 2005 with the introduction of Mercedes-Benz' BRAKE ASSIST PLUS (BAS PLUS) system, which was followed by the PRE-SAFE® Brake in 2006. Both systems utilize radar sensors that measure the distance to the vehicle ahead, and are thus able to recognize an impending rear-end collision. BAS PLUS warns drivers of the danger and then immediately makes available the braking pressure required for the situation at hand. The PRE-SAFE® Brake intervenes if an accident is imminent by autonomously braking the vehicle if the driver has not reacted to the prior warning issued by the system. This autonomous partial braking maneuver significantly reduces the impact speed should a collision still occur, whereby the system acts as an "electronic crumple zone" that offers vehicle occupants additional protection. A test conducted by the German Automobile Club (ADAC) shows that the PRE-SAFE® Brake reduces the stresses vehicle occupants are exposed to in accidents by up to 45 percent.
Mercedes engineers are currently testing the second stage of the PRE-SAFE® Brake, which involves initiating an automatic emergency braking maneuver if a collision becomes unavoidable. This will lead to a further substantial reduction of impact energy.
Intersection assistant calculates danger of an accident in advance
Video-based assistance functions will also become more common in future Mercedes passenger cars. Here, cameras mounted on the inside of the windshield will monitor the road in front of the vehicle, recognize pedestrians and cyclists up ahead or crossing the street, and "read" traffic signs. Powerful computers will evaluate the images in realtime and warn drivers of impending dangers before they occur.
This technology is designed with a particularly accident-prone area in mind - the four-way intersection, which accounts for around one-third of all serious traffic accidents in Germany. A new system already developed by Mercedes as a prototype utilizes a stereo camera that recognizes cars, cyclists and pedestrians approaching the vehicle from the side. By monitoring the movement, distance, and speed of the object in question, the system is able to predict its probable direction of motion and calculate the likelihood of an accident in advance. Tests have shown that this forward-looking technology is able to recognize the danger of a collision with a cyclist rapidly approaching the vehicle from the side two to three seconds before impact. This allows the system to gain valuable time to warn the driver and prevent the accident.
Another video-based Mercedes assistance system will remind drivers in the future to obey speed limits by "reading" traffic signs and transmitting their images to a cockpit display in the vehicle. This technology will be used further down the line to also register stop signs, yield signs, and traffic lights.
