Mercedes-Benz safety hit by chip shortage

Prices adjusted up and down as PRE-SAFE safety tech is omitted from compact Benz cars in Australia

The global semiconductor shortage has had an impact on the standard safety equipment and pricing of popular compact cars and SUVs sold by Mercedes-Benz in Australia.

The PRE-SAFE system that prepares a car for an accident is not currently available for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan and hatch, B-Class wagon, CLA sedan, GLA five-seat SUV and GLB seven-seat SUV.

As a result, pricing for most A-, B- and CLA-Class models dropped slightly in April. However, some prices did go up, including those for the GLA and GLB in March despite the equipment shortfall.

The price cut was as low as $100 for the likes of the Mercedes-Benz A 180 hatch and as much as $820 for the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S hot hatch. But both the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and 45 S sedan went up in price, by $300 and $700 respectively.

Prices for the second-generation GLA introduced last August climbed by as little as $200 and as much $965. The GLB introduced last June climbed between $200 and $400.

It was also noticeable the A 250 hatch and sedan have been discarded from the line-up.

The shortage of computer chips isn’t just a Mercedes-Benz or auto industry issue, with a wide range of tech-oriented businesses affected globally.

While demand is rising exponentially, the COVID-19 pandemic forced semiconductor factory shutdowns that left automotive, consumer electronics and computer manufacturers in the lurch.  

Mercedes-Benz PRE-SAFE is a supplementary safety assistance system that uses sensor data to trigger anticipatory occupant protection measures such as pre-tensioning seatbelts, moving seats and closing the windows/sunroof if the vehicle detects an accident is imminent.

However, key driver assist and safety systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which Mercedes calls Active Brake Assist, lane-keeping (Active Lane Keep Assist) and electronic stability control (ESP) are unaffected by the chip shortage.

The omission of PRE-SAFE does not affect the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating that most models in each range receive.

A note on the ANCAP website explains some safety features have been omitted from these models since December 2020 production.

“At this stage we are unable to say when it [PRE-SAFE] will again become available,” a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman told carsales.

“Price adjustments were made across affected vehicles to reflect the change in standard equipment.”

The spokesman later clarified that where prices were increased, these were reduced for models in which PRE-SAFE is no longer available.