Mercedes-Benz beats Tesla to selling Level 3 autonomous cars in the U.S. (2024)

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Mercedes-Benz beats Tesla to selling Level 3 autonomous cars in the U.S.? ›

Mercedes began offering autonomous driving in Germany in May 2022 and debuted the service in the US in December last year. German luxury brand Mercedes has beaten Tesla and has already sold a vehicle with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities on US soil, according to a Fortune report.

While Tesla calls its driver assistance system "Full Self-Driving," with CEO Elon Musk promising, and then failing to deliver, Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy, it is actually Mercedes-Benz that officially achieved the feat of getting a Level 3 car on a U.S. road.

Mercedes is now the first automaker to sell a car with advanced autonomous features in the United States, meaning the vehicle doesn't technically require drivers to pay close attention to the road.

Mercedes is the first automaker selling to customers to achieve level 3 capabilities in the U.S., with Tesla and others still offering technology at level 2—in which cars can perform specific tasks but require constant supervision from a driver.

Driving features

Tesla's Autopilot is classified as Level 2 under the SAE six levels (0 to 5) of vehicle automation. At this level, the car can act autonomously, but requires the driver to monitor the driving at all times and be prepared to take control at a moment's notice.

Get to know DRIVE PILOT

DRIVE PILOT is an SAE Level 3 (conditional automated driving) system: the automated driving function takes over certain driving tasks. However, a fallback-ready user is still required.

Mercedes began offering autonomous driving in Germany in May 2022 and debuted the service in the US in December last year. German luxury brand Mercedes has beaten Tesla and has already sold a vehicle with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities on US soil, according to a Fortune report.

The edition was announced in January 2018, and shown at the 2018 North American International Auto Show. Smart exited the US market after the 2019 model year due to slow sales and the high cost of hom*ologating the Fortwo for the US.

Level 4 of autonomous driving

The vehicle moves automatically in the longitudinal and lateral axes and the driver does not have to keep their eyes on the road or supervise the vehicle.

How much is Mercedes Level 3 self-driving? ›

U.S. customers can buy a yearly subscription of Drive Pilot in 2024 EQS sedans and S-Class car models for $2,500. Mercedes began selling level 3-enabled cars in its home country of Germany in May 2022. The European packages cost 5,000 to 7,000 euros ($5,300 and $7,500) for a three-year membership.

Level 4 autonomy, where the driver would be allowed to doze off because the car provides its own backup, is being worked on right now. "We're looking to bring Level 4 to highway driving by the end of the decade," said Bolster.

US buyers of Mercedes EQS and S-Class models can subscribe to Drive Pilot, Mercedes-Benz's autonomous driving system, for an additional $2,500 yearly fee. But for now, cars with Drive Pilot enabled are only legal in California and Nevada.

Level 5 cars won't even have steering wheels or acceleration/braking pedals. They will be free from geofencing, able to go anywhere and do anything that an experienced human driver can do. Fully autonomous cars are undergoing testing in several pockets of the world, but none are yet available to the general public.

Full Self Driving, or FSD, is an upgrade to Tesla's Autopilot driver assistant. Tesla doesn't yet make or sell cars capable of full autonomous driving. It sells “Level 2” driver-assistance systems, marketed under the brand name FSD.

Numerous companies are already testing level 4 vehicles in road traffic. Since 1997, ZF shuttles have been operating fully automated in various projects worldwide on segregated lanes.

Toyota never fails to impress its consumers with surprises that capture their hearts. The Adas system in the Toyota LAND CRUISER 200 VX offers everything you need in a luxurious car. From tires to car batteries, Toyota stands out as one of the top ADAS level 3 cars.

There are currently five levels in total – we'll explain why that's happened in a bit – with Level 1 being the most basic and Level 5 being the most advanced forms of self-driving cars. It covers everything from simple feet-off cruise control to full hands-off everything.

Some states have passed legislation that explicitly makes the use of self-driving cars legal, although the conditions in each state vary. Other states have passed more measured legislation aimed at autonomous vehicles. Below you can read about the states that have passed self-driving car laws.