Autonomous Driving across Nevada’s Desert Highways: New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Gains Self-Driving License.

Fancy reading the paper in the back while your chauffeur-less German sedan takes you to your destination in style? Or imagine your car picking you up from your favourite restaurant after a meal and a few glasses of wine. It doesn’t have to be a pipe dream anymore, as three standard production Mercedes-Benz E-Class models have just been awarded test licenses for autonomous driving in the US state of Nevada. This is a world first, perfectly timed to coincide with the Consumer Electronics Show, or ‘CES’, held in Las Vegas.

Under normal circumstances, autonomous test vehicles would have to be fitted with an array of special hardware and software, such as adapted ESP, modified steering and many additional sensors. But the E-class is already so extensively equipped with intelligent technology, that only minor software adjustments had to be made to the control unit, also known as DRIVE PILOT.

Prof. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, notes: "The fact that Mercedes-Benz is the world's first vehicle manufacturer to be awarded such a licence shows that we are a step ahead when it comes to autonomous driving. The new E-Class is therefore another big step to the fully automated vehicle. "

"Nevada is proud to serve as the location where Daimler, an international automotive leader, can explore and test the possibilities of its cutting-edge autonomous vehicle," said Governor Brian Sandoval. "By collaborating with revolutionary, sustainable and creative endeavours, Nevada is working to be at the forefront of emerging innovative technologies."

Two self-driving Daimler trucks have been in operation on public roads since May 2015.

In Nevada, regulations on autonomous driving were passed in June 2011 and the state is seen as a pioneer. The state’s everyday road conditions and traffic volume are very much like the rest of the country’s. Self-driving tests are allowed on all state highways and interstates, requiring only that human drivers be present for merging, turning and departing. Specially trained test drivers will by carrying out test drives in everyday traffic, as the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will only allow testing if there is one passenger behind the wheel and another passenger inside the vehicle during test drives. Test vehicles are identified by a red license plate.