World-first safety tech for next Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz has begun to lift the layers of its next-generation W222 S-Class limousine, showing off several claimed world-first safety technologies at its Sindelfingen engineering HQ overnight.

The new S-Class will not have its public reveal until May 2013 and will not be go on sale in Australian until the last quarter of next year.

But as the S-Class is its traditional technology and safety flagship, Benz has decided to drip-feed the details of the new car over a series of ‘TecDay’ events, starting with a focus on what it dubs ‘Intelligent Drive’.

What that means is a whole raft of new and updated digital assistants that work together in a “sensor fusion” that Benz claims provides holistic protection for the car’s occupants as well as other motorists and pedestrians.

New claimed world-firsts include the ability to detect crossing vehicle and foot traffic and then warn the driver and assist with braking. Another is the ability for the S-Class to steer itself hands-free back into its lane to avoid oncoming traffic after crossing broken lines.

Key new technologies that aid theses process and many others are a stereo camera mounted in the top of the front windscreen that provides three-dimensional images and multi-mode radar that detects vehicles and people around the S-Class.

While the hardware for these and other items comes from suppliers, Mercedes-Benz has managed the development of software that gives them their operational capability.

In total, there are 26 different sensors of one type or another hooked into the S-Class, while the current car contains around 15.    

“For us ‘Intelligent Drive’ is the intelligent interlinking of sensors and systems to create a new dimension of motoring,” Mercedes-Benz board member Professor Thomas Weber explained in press material issued at the TecDay.

“The intelligent assistance systems of the future will be able to analyse increasingly complex situations and recognise potential dangers out on the road with the aid of improved environmental sensor systems even more accurately than today.

“Amalgamating the algorithms that extract their data from the further improved radar sensors and the new stereo camera is also crucial for the new functions. We call this ‘sensor fusion’.

“Figuratively speaking, the next S-Class won’t just have eyes at the front; it will have 360-degree all-round vision.”
    
That might all sound a bit waffly, but it also reflects the reality of the challenge facing Benz if it is to maintain the S-Class’ reputation as a safety leader. Big gains like airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control have long been rolled out. Nowadays the opportunities lie more in software development than hardware.

There’s also more competition for the safety high-ground as it becomes a higher priority for new-car buyers. As a result some of what the S-Class introduces is world-leading, other elements are a first for Mercedes-Benz while other items are simply catch-up.

For instance, Volvo pioneered the ability to detect pedestrians and brake for them, but Benz claims Pre-Safe Brake can avoid collisions at a higher speed up to 50km/h.

Other technologies revealed yesterday included:

>> Distronic Plus with Steering Assist: Helps the driver to guide the vehicle in its lane and can follow the vehicle in front in slow-moving traffic autonomously.

>> BAS Plus with Cross Traffic Assist: Detects crossing traffic. If necessary boosts the braking power applied by the driver to either avoid or reduce the impact of side impacts.

>> Pre-Safe Plus: Recognises a car is about to rear-end your stationary S-Class, prompting Pre-safe to trigger. Also applies brakes firmly before impact to lessen whiplash injuries and avoid secondary incidents.

>> Pre-Safe Impulse: Front seatbelts pyrotechnically pull occupants away from the direction of impact, reducing the risk of severe injuries.

>> Active Lane Keeping Assist: Prevents the S-Class leaving its lane unintentionally by applying brakes on one side. Can detect oncoming traffic.

>> Adaptive High Beam Assist Plus: Allows main-beam headlamps to be kept on permanently without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in the S-Class’ cone of light. Benz claims the new S-Class will be the first vehicle to be sold without a light bulb, as it makes the switch totally to LED.

>> Nigh View Assist Plus: Alerts driver to pedestrians and animals in front of the car in unlit areas. A spotlight function flashes a light on pedestrians.

>> Rear beltbag: Sash inflates to reduce the strain on rear passenger ribcage in head-on collision.

While Benz did present a significant amount of information and allowed journalists to sample some of it in its remarkable Moving Base simulator, this was a carefully structured session that avoided much more than it told, making no real reference to active safety or the role of Telematics, let alone any performance or design detail.

Expect more on that as we get to closer to launch, as well as a better indication of what we will get standard among this pile of new tech, and what will be optional.

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