Mercedes-Benz strives to make accident-free driving a reality
Safety is a fundamental component of Mercedes-Benz's DNA and one of the company's primary obligations to all users of the road. The brand's first aim is to reduce the likelihood of accidents and enhance its results. The business is taking advantage of two anniversaries in active and passive safety to showcase its most recent safety features.
The A-Class rolled during the infamous "moose test" in Sweden in 1997. The Electronic Stability Program ESP® was swiftly and broadly introduced in all Mercedes-Benz model series.
The second anniversary: The anticipatory safety system PRE-SAFE® was first launched twenty years ago and has since undergone continual development. With this system, passive protective measures were supported by active elements for the first time, improving accident outcomes.
More than 40 active driver assistance systems ensure safety for all road users today
Today, many components already work in tandem reliably to provide a high level of safety through more than 40 active driver assistance systems:
- Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is an adaptive cruise control system that automatically maintains a preselected distance to vehicles in front on all road types.
- Active Steering Assist helps the driver stay in their lane. It can only be activated together with DISTRONIC.
- Active Lane Keeping Assist uses a camera to detect when road markings or road edges are crossed, helping the driver to avoid leaving the driving lane unintentionally.
- Active Blind Spot Assist monitors poorly visible areas and can help avoid accidents through braking intervention and warnings. Additionally, when the car is standing still, the Exit Warning function alerts occupants to the presence of road users such as passing cyclists. The ambient lighting in the door signals danger and can help to avoid a collision. Active Lane Change Assist cooperatively assists the driver when changing to an adjacent lane. A lane change to the right or left is only assisted if the sensors detect that the adjacent lane is separated from the present lane by interrupted lane markings, and no other vehicles are recognised in the relevant danger zone.
- Active Emergency Stop Assist brakes the vehicle to a standstill in its own lane if it recognises that the driver is no longer responding to the traffic situation for a longer period.
- Active Brake Assist uses the onboard sensors to register whether there is a risk of collision with vehicles travelling ahead, crossing or oncoming. The system can give the driver a visual and audible warning if a collision appears imminent. Suppose the driver’s braking response is too weak. In that case, the system can also assist by increasing the brake pressure as the situation demands, and also initiate autonomous emergency braking if the driver fails to respond.
Improving the outcomes of accidents with PRE-SAFE® for 20 years
The introduction of PRE-SAFE® 20 years ago attracted similar attention to the moose test incident that took place 25 years ago. When Mercedes-Benz introduced the system in 2002, it was a disruptive innovation: the system marked the first time that active elements helped support passive protective measures in order to improve outcomes in the event of an accident. Examples include automatic closing of the windows and the sunroof in critical driving situations before an imminent collision, preventive tensioning of the front seat belts with the first reversible belt tensioners or adjusting the front passenger seat to a more upright position (if the seat features a memory function).
- In 2005, PRE-SAFE® was combined with Brake Assist PLUS (predecessor of today’s Active Brake Assist) to enable the automatic closing of the side windows and inflation of side bolsters on multi-contour front seats.
- This was followed in 2006 by the activation of other functions using radar technology. With the introduction of the third Driving Assistance package – featuring extensive sensor technology in the front and rear – imminent rear-end collisions can also be detected. In the event of an imminent rear-end collision, PRE-SAFE® PLUS warns the traffic following behind by means of rapidly flashing warning lights.
- Introduced in 2016, PRE-SAFE® Impulse Side lifts the driver or front passenger inwards out of the danger zone just before a side impact.
- PRE-SAFE® Sound marked another addition in 2016: protection against hearing loss. In rare cases, the loud noise of a car accident can lead to impaired hearing over time. PRE-SAFE® Sound can trigger a reflex in the inner ear that acts like biomechanical hearing protection. In certain dangerous situations just before a possible collision, the system causes the vehicle’s speakers to emit a rushing sound (pink noise). The aim is to cause a tiny muscle in the inner ear to contract (acoustic reflex), which affects the coupling of the eardrum, preparing to hear for high sound pressures.
Focus on protection for back-seat passengers
Mercedes-Benz has been able to improve backseat passenger safety in recent years. The side airbags, window 'bags, and belt tensioners for the back seats are a few other upgrades worth highlighting. As a result of the S-Class's regularuse as a chauffeured vehicle, Mercedes-Benz introduced the first frontal airbag for backseat passengers in 2020. This innovation boosts passenger safety for adults while also taking child safety issues into consideration. Greater rear passenger safety is also a result of the Belt Bag, which expands the seat belt's surface area and can lessen upper body hits.
Integral Safety: A holistic philosophy from Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz has long adhered to the "Integral Safety" comprehensive philosophy when it comes to the development of its vehicles. The corporation initially divided the assistance its safety systems offer into four phases in the late 1990s. To attain the best level of safety feasible, this method combines components of active and passive safety.
Clear goal for the future: Accident-free driving by 2050
Technology in the automotive industry is continually developing. Mercedes-Benz Group AG is taking on the duty of enhancing road safety further because of this. After all, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates in its 2018 Road Safety Report that 1.3 million people worldwide still lose their lives in road accidents each year. Between 20 and 50 million people experience major injuries, according to the WHO. Mercedes-safety Benz's safety and assistance systems are doing their utmost to help the company achieve "Vision Zero." The objective is to have no road fatalities by the year 2050 and to have cut in half the number of traffic fatalities and serious injuries by the year 2030 compared to the year 2020.
Maximum safety for electric cars too
Mercedes-Benz does not distinguish between various drive systems when it comes to its high safety standards. Whether using combustion, hybrid, or electric drives, the development team makes sure that the right technology guarantees a comparable level of protection in any situation. Independent organisations' tests have demonstrated this. The Mercedes EQS has received recognition from Euro NCAP twice, with awards for "Best in Class" in the areas of "Premium Class" and "Pure Electric" in 2021. Additionally, the Mercedes EQE received two of the highest ratings: "very good" overall with the optional assistance package in the special category for support systems and the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety rating. Euro NCAP examines child safety, pedestrian protection, and assistance systems in addition to crash protection.
