Mercedes-Benz brings automatic lane changing to Europe

With the "Automatic Lane Change" function, the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has announced an advancement of driver assistance systems in the area of SAE Level 2+ for Europe. Currently, they are working on adapting the function to European traffic situations. The market launch is scheduled to coincide with the delivery of the first units of the new E-Class. The manufacturer specifies that the Automatic Lane Change will be supported on highway-like roads with lane markings and physically separated directional lanes. The so-called Automatic Lane Change (ALC) is already offered for the C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class, as well as for all EQ series in the USA and Canada. The ALC function is part of the Active Distance Assist Distronic with Active Steering Assist. If a slower vehicle is ahead, the car can initiate the lane change itself and overtake completely automatically at a speed range of 80-140 km/h, provided that lane markings are recognized and there is sufficient space available, the manufacturer outlines. A prerequisite is a road with a speed limit and the vehicle being equipped with MBUX Navigation.

The system does not require any further input from the driver to execute the automatic lane change. With active route guidance, the system is also intended to assist with approaching exits and changing highways. Since responsibility in a Level 2 system remains with the driver during the automatic lane change, the manufacturer has decided that hands must remain on the steering wheel.