Mercedes -Benz has become the first automaker to receive permission for customized light signals on its self-driving cars, which will indicate that the vehicle is using autonomous mode on public roads.
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In California , the permit allows the addition of turquoise exterior LEDs to the front and rear light clusters of vehicles undergoing testing. Meanwhile, in Nevada, a similar light will be added to Model Year 2026 EQS and S-Class production vehicles equipped with Drive Pilot technology.
The company says its licenses allow itto “gain important insights into the interaction of automated vehicles with other users road.” It also says the included use of clear indicators will “enhance public acceptance of automated driving and contribute to road safety.”
Turquoise was the color chosen because it doesn't clash with existing vehicle systems and can't be mistaken for emergency lighting, traffic lights, or other traffic signals. That's why Mercedes believes turquoise lights should become an industry standard, which would make them more common in the future.
The German manufacturer believes that indicating when a vehicle is using high levels of autonomy will also allow police and officers to recognize the system's status and determine whether drivers are allowed to engage in secondary activities while driving.
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This comes after news of a number of accidents that occurred due to the alleged misuse of Tesla 's Auto-Pilot and Full Self-Driving systems , where the technology was used on roads where it is not allowed.
For now, the turquoise lights will only be visible on test vehicles in California equipped with Drive Pilot technology, while the company continues to look at automating driving on highways in North America, according to level 3 of the SAE standard.
However, it was announced that Drive Pilot technology will be available on the 2024 EQS Sedan and S-Class models in California starting in early 2024, even though the indicator lights are still in the testing phase. In Nevada, the indicator lights will be installed on the same production models in 2026.
We reported earlier this year that the technology gained type approval from Germany in 2021, with BMW recently trying to match its German competitor with a similar system being allowed in its country this year.
Driverless cars offer many potential benefits. First, they can reduce the number of road accidents, as the majority of them are caused by human error. Second, they can improve traffic, as they can coordinate traffic and avoid traffic jams.
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In addition, driverless cars can offer greater autonomy to people who cannot drive, such as the elderly or disabled. Finally, they can allow for more efficient use of time, as passengers could work or rest during the journey.
However, driverless cars also pose potential risks. One of them is the challenges related to security and data protection, as these cars would need to be connected to the internet and could be vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks.
Additionally, there is the issue of liability in the event of an accident. If a driverless car causes an accident, who is responsible? The car manufacturer, the software provider, or the passenger? These are issues that need to be addressed.
Source: techradar
